Why Using AI to Write Your Positioning and Value Proposition is a Terrible Idea

Mar 27

AI has come a long way, and there’s no denying its convenience. Need to generate a quick blog post or summarize an email? Sure, AI can help. But when it comes to crafting the very foundation of your brand — your positioning and value proposition — relying on AI is like asking a robot to write your wedding vows. It’ll string the words together, but the heart, soul, and strategy? Nowhere to be found.

At Treebird Branding, we believe defining your brand's essence is deeply human work. Your positioning and value proposition are what separate you from the noise, and they require thoughtful insight, creative thinking, and an understanding of nuance that AI simply can’t provide.

Crafting Your Positioning Statement

A strong positioning statement articulates your brand’s unique space in the market. It’s how you stake your claim. Think of it like planting your flag on the hill that is yours and yours alone. Here’s the framework we use at Treebird to create a positioning statement that resonates:

Category of One
What can you claim that no one else can? This isn’t about vague platitudes like “best service” or “high quality.” It’s about defining your X that Y’s: We’re the [X] that [Y’s]. AI might spit out something generic, but it can’t understand the nuances of your origin story, the grit behind your growth, or the magic that makes your product stand out.
Distinctive Values
What are the values that guide your brand? And no, not the clichéd ones. Real values that inform how you show up in the world. AI can analyze data, but it can’t capture the spirit of what drives you forward.
Unique Methods
How do you deliver on your promise in a way that no one else can? Maybe it’s your proprietary process, your obsession with guest experience, or your commitment to sustainability. AI can guess, but it can’t innovate.
Brand Promise
At the end of the day, what are you promising your guests? Your brand promise is the heartbeat of your positioning statement. It’s emotional. It’s connective. AI lacks the human touch to distill that promise with authenticity.

Building Your Value Proposition

While your positioning defines your place in the market, your value proposition expands on your brand promise. It’s the why behind why someone chooses you. Your value proposition answers: What are the key reasons someone should believe in your brand?

Here’s how we break it down:

3-5 Key Messages: These are the primary pillars of what makes your brand essential. Think of them as your greatest hits—the things you want every guest, partner, or employee to know.
Reasons to Believe: For each key message, back it up with 3-5 data points, stories, or examples. Proof matters. Whether it’s customer testimonials, award-winning products, or industry certifications, this is where you make your case.

AI can scrape information from the internet, but it can’t weave the emotional narrative that makes your value proposition resonate. Humans connect with humans. Period.

AI as a Filter, Not a Generator

Once your positioning statement and value proposition are solidified by a skilled brand strategist and writer, then and only then should AI enter the conversation. AI becomes powerful when it has a clear, structured brand voice and messaging to follow. Think of it like a sous chef—it can chop, mix, and prep, but it needs the head chef to create the recipe.

By training AI on your established brand voice, it becomes a filter that ensures consistent, on-brand communication across all touchpoints. Need a quick caption for Instagram? A support email? AI can assist, but the core messaging will always stem from the positioning and value proposition a human built.

Final Thoughts

Your brand is too valuable to leave to algorithms. At Treebird Branding, we dig deep, ask the tough questions, and craft positioning and value propositions that resonate. Then, we empower your team with the tools to maintain brand consistency—even when AI lends a hand.

Let’s make your brand iconic. No shortcuts. No robots. Just smart, strategic branding built to last.

Interested in defining your Category of One? Let’s chat. Treebird Branding is here to uncover your brand’s essence and give you the positioning and value proposition that make you unforgettable.

Jaci Lund

Jaci Lund partner, creative director, designer Jaci’s quick wit and native intelligence comes across as soon as you meet her—and carries over to her design, where she fuses fun and sophistication in just the right doses. With a dual focus on creating original branding for new concepts and revitalizing the look and feel of even the most-established brands, Jaci approaches each project with a fresh and thoughtful perspective. While she recognizes the relevance of current trends, she’s hyper-conscious of the fine line that separates “trend” from “fad,” and tends toward more timeless and classic looks for her clients. Before founding Treebird, Jaci was instrumental in growing the design department at Atlanta’s The Reynolds Group, Inc. Through a five-year tenure that saw her quickly ascend to senior designer and then become the company’s first creative director, Jaci worked on design and branding projects with visionaries, entrepreneurs, and business leaders whom she admires greatly and whose own passion elevates her sense of what’s possible through new design, branding, and communication. Jaci has won nine ADDY Awards (and counting) for her design and branding work and has twice been featured in the national design blog “Art of the Menu.” She holds a B.A. in communications from Michigan State University and completed the graphic design program at The Creative Circus, where she also teaches a quarterly course called “Introduction to Creative Thinking.” To see Jaci's previous work please visit jacilund.com.

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