THIS VS THAT
‘This VS That’
This is part of our ‘This VS That’ series, where we break down the branding terms that get confused, misused and thrown around in meetings.
Got a term you want us to tackle? Let us know.
Why your tagline isn't working
Every brand wants a killer tagline. Few brands have a positioning worth taglining.
That’s the problem.
A tagline is what you say.
A positioning is why you say it.
A tagline is a line of copy. It’s the catchy phrase you put on your website, your ads, your packaging. It’s meant to stick. ‘Just Do It’. ‘Think Different’. ‘Because You’re Worth It’.
A positioning is the strategic foundation underneath that line. It’s the answer to: who are we for, what do we stand for, and why should anyone choose us over the alternative? It’s the reason your tagline makes sense and the reason it can be more than empty words.
Without a positioning, a tagline is just decoration. With a positioning, it becomes a weapon.
A tagline shifts with business or culture.
A positioning holds on for years.
Taglines come and go. Brands update them to stay fresh, to match a new campaign, to reflect a cultural moment. That’s fine. Taglines are allowed to evolve.
But a positioning? That should be stable. It’s your strategic anchor. If you’re changing your positioning every year, you don’t have a positioning, you have a guessing game.
Nike has had dozens of campaigns. Their positioning hasn’t changed in decades: empowering athletes (and anyone with a body) to push past their limits. ‘Just Do It’ is a tagline. The relentless pursuit of athletic greatness is the positioning.
The order matters
Here’s where most brands get it backwards: they start with the tagline. They brainstorm catchy phrases, pick the one that sounds best and call it a day.
But a tagline without a positioning is just a bumper sticker. It might be clever, but it won’t go anywhere.
The right order:
Positioning first. Who are you for? What do you believe? What’s your territory?
Tagline second. Now translate that into something memorable.
When you nail the positioning, the tagline almost writes itself. When you skip the positioning, you end up with something generic that could belong to anyone.
Two examples that prove the point
Volvo – Positioning: we’re the car brand obsessed with safety. Tagline: ‘For Life’. The tagline is simple because the positioning is rock solid. Every Volvo ad, feature and innovation ladders back to that single idea.
Patagonia – Positioning: we make gear for people who care about the planet as much as the adventure. Tagline: ‘We’re in business to save our home planet’. That’s not a tagline dreamed up in a brainstorm. That’s a positioning spoken out loud.
What this means for you
Before you ask a copywriter for a tagline, ask yourself: can I explain our positioning in two sentences? If not, that’s (y)our first job.
A great tagline is the tip of the iceberg. Make sure there’s something underneath.
Et Alors is an independent creative agency for brands that have the courage to break conventions and push boundaries. As a female-led agency, we deliver senior-level expertise without the big-agency overhead, just straight-up creative solutions that work.
Kinderfond Ronald McDonald
Sanaforte Hospidex
Elvea Pesti
Regatta Vooruitzicht
let’s grab a coffee
© Et alors agency 2026