When you get good enough at either, marketing and design are the same thing.

Marketing is often seen as advertising. Or putting logos on shirts. Or sending emails to customers.

Design is often seen as making cool-looking graphics. Or deciding what colors to use in said logos. Or making sure emails have a sharp visual feel.

Turns out, both understandings don’t quite get there.

Marketing is telling your story and trying to get other people to come along with you.

Design is combining visuals, words, and technology (even old technology like paintbrushes) to create an experience.

But when you get really good at marketing OR design, you’re actually doing both.

It’s hard to convince users to continue using an app that’s buggy, or confusing, or not fun. On the other hand, it’s impossible to stop your users from telling their friends about something so well-designed, it’s life changing.