Owner PULP Brand Studio & Ooey Gooey Creative
Let’s clear this up once and for all:
A brand strategist defines who your brand is and why it matters.
A marketing director decides how that message gets seen and sold.
Both are strategic. Both impact growth. But they’re not the same thing — and if you hire one when you really need the other, you’ll feel it.
A brand strategist builds your blueprint — the who, what, and why of your business identity.
They help you:
Define your position in the market
Create your messaging pillars
Develop your voice and tone
Set direction for visuals and creative assets
Align your offers with your audience
They make sure your brand feels intentional, not accidental.
If your messaging doesn’t land or your design never quite feels “right,” that’s not a marketing problem — that’s strategy missing from the mix.
You can see how this work connects to the full brand experience in What Is a Brand Studio (and How to Choose the Right One)
Once the strategy exists, the marketing director takes it and runs with it.
They turn that direction into tangible results through:
Campaign planning
Content creation
Social media and ad management
Analytics and performance tracking
Customer engagement and lead generation
They make sure your strategy gets seen and measured.
They’re the operators who execute the vision, not the architects who design it.
If the strategist sets the GPS, the marketing director drives the car.
Always the strategist.
Here’s why:
If you hire a marketing director before defining your brand, they’ll end up trying to fill in the gaps themselves — and that’s not their job.
They might market a message that doesn’t match your positioning, or target an audience that doesn’t align with your goals.
You’ll spend more, get frustrated, and end up circling back to fix the brand anyway.
When you lead with strategy, your marketing director’s job becomes 10x easier — and your campaigns actually perform.
To see how this foundation works in real businesses, check out The Role of a Brand Strategist in Business Growth
If you’re a small business or personal brand, you might not have both roles — yet.
But you do need both functions.
Early on, a brand strategist helps you define the structure.
Later, a marketing director helps you scale it.
Here’s the quick cheat sheet:
| You Need a Brand Strategist If… | You Need a Marketing Director If… |
|---|---|
| You’re rebranding or pivoting | You already have a defined brand |
| Your message feels unclear | You want to scale traffic or leads |
| Your visuals don’t match your direction | You need consistent campaigns |
| You want to position yourself clearly in your industry | You want to measure ROI and optimize marketing spend |
Businesses that skip brand strategy end up chasing their tails.
They throw money at ads, content, and design without realizing they’re missing the core — clarity.
The difference between brands that look nice and brands that lead markets is strategy.
It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about knowing what you stand for and saying it the same way, everywhere you show up.
That’s how real growth happens.
(And when you’re ready to see what that looks like visually, read What Is a Brand Specialist (and How They Keep Your Brand Consistent)
If you’re still figuring out your message, values, or how to describe your offers — you need a brand strategist.
If your foundation is solid and you’re ready to scale your reach — bring in a marketing director.
And if you’re not sure, here’s the truth:
You’ll waste less time (and money) by starting with clarity first.
You can’t measure what isn’t defined.
You can’t market what you haven’t built.
Start with the strategist.
A marketing director can help you grow — but a brand strategist makes sure you grow in the right direction.
If you’re serious about building a brand that lasts, begin with strategy.
Get clear on your foundation in What Is a Brand Strategist (and Why Every Business Needs One)
Hi, I Erin and committed to helping you build a brand you love!
Fresh squeezed with all the Ooey Gooey Goodness!
