Identifying & Establishing Brand Positioning

Positioning The Battle of Your Mind

To succeed, the first step is to position or situate the brand in the target consumers mind in such a way, That in his or her perception of the brand, It is distinctive and offers a persuasive customer value better than its competitors.

This is called competitive advantage

The Process of Market Positioning

Identify Target Markets
STAGE 1 Identify key offer characteristics
STAGE 2 Draw a perceptual map

Tangible
features )

(colour, size, design) (reputation, guarantees, Service

Intangible

Head-On me too
STAGE 3 Decide on a competitive strategy

Position away / avoid competition Less profitable; on growth

USP

STAGE 4 Design offer attributes, associated Imageries

STAGE 5 Sustain a competitive advantage

Brand knowledge

Associative Network Memory Model

Bathing Clean Green and Yellow

Lime

LIRIL

Brand Image

Fresh Waterfall Brand Awareness

Brand knowledge

Associative Network Memory Model

Indianness (co-operative) Dr. Kurien Value for Money

Gujarat / Anand

Amul

Moppet

Brand Image

Brand Awareness

Real milk Dairy product

Competitive Positioning

The Process of Market Positioning

Identify Target Markets
STAGE 1 Identify key offer characteristics Tangible (colour, size, design) Intangible reputation, guarantees Service features identification And weightage to each of them

STAGE 2 Draw a perceptual map

Head-On me too

STAGE 3 STAGE 3 Decide on a competitive strategy Decide on a competitive strategy STAGE 4 STAGE 4 Design offer attributes, associated Design offer attributes, associated Imageries Imageries
STAGE 5 Sustain a competitive advantage

Position away / avoid competition Less profitable; on growth

USP

Occupy a slot in consumers mind

Positioning, therefore starts with our understanding or mapping of a prospect consumers mental perceptions in such a way that it occupies a slot in the mind with reference to other brands

Lifebuoy occupies the hygiene slot Mysore Sandal the pure and natural fragrance slot, Margo occupies the herbal slot.

Perception and Positioning

Perception in simple terms is the meaning added by an individual (in this context consumer) to the information that has been sensed from the environment. For instance, a consumer may feel that all products of Sony are high quality technology products without having any experience with brand.

Perceptual Mapping

Represent consumer perceptions in (usually) two dimensional space so that the manager can readily see where his own brand is positioned in the mind of his prospect and in relation to other brands

Perceptual Mapping of digestive brands

Medicinal

Gelusil Digene Eno

High Efficacy

Low Efficacy

Pudin Hara

Hajmola
Natural

Perceptual Mapping for hair oils

Pleasant perfume

Keo Karpin
Arnica Dabur Amla
Makes hair greasy
Helps hair grooming

Parachute

Mahabhringaraj

No perfume

Perceptual Mapping for toothpaste

High Close-up Colgate
Fresh breath

Low

High

Pepsodent
Good for gums

Forhans regular

Dabur lal powder Low

Perceptual Mapping of Oil brands

Taste Postman

High
Sundrop

Dhara Groundnut

Low
Health

High

Saffola

Low

The Process of Market Positioning

Identify Target Markets Tangible (colour, size, design)
STAGE 1 Identify key offer characteristics

Intangible reputation, guarantees Service features identification And weightage to each of them

STAGE 2 Draw a perceptual map

Head-On me too
Position away / avoid competition Less profitable; on growth
USP

STAGE 3 Decide on a competitive strategy

STAGE 4 Design offer attributes, associated Imageries

STAGE 5 Sustain a competitive advantage

15

Create a Competitive frame of Reference

Frame of reference is the starting point for competitive positioning.

Corporate Identity/ Associative Network Memory model Target Consumer How the brand is similar to competitors How the brand is different from competitors.

Who am I?

What Am I? (POP)

For whom am I?

Why me? (POD)

Brand Positioning
Product - Who am I?
a)

This question deals with the origins of the brand , its parentage. We can position the brand with reference to its corporate identity or as an extension of a well established brand.

Define TG - For Whom am I?

a) b) c) d)

Demographic Behavioural (usage pattern) Psychographic segments The Consumer as a whole person

Why me?
To satisfy in between meals / hunger

For whom
Young, 20-30 years, M/F

Cadbury Perk
Any time - any where Cadbury Perk

What am I?

Who am I ?

Why me?
Oral hygiene & Fresh breadth

For whom
Everyone above the age of 3yrs

Colgate
When you wake-up After meals What am I? Before going to sleep Colgate

Who am I?

What am I Points of Parity Association

POPs, are those associations that arent
necessarily unique to the brand but may in fact be shared with other brands

Points of Parity Association

The brand has to have certain points of parity (POPs) In reference to the product group it is in. e.g. Toothpaste , the brand has to foam, clean, taste reasonably well, etc.

Points of Parity Association

POPs come in four basic forms Category related Benefit related Usage Occasion and Time of Use Price / Quality by Usage Occasion and Time of Use

Points of Parity Association

1) Category Related Tanishqwatches sold as jewellery Vaselinepetroleum jelly sold as lip salve and moisturizer Sugar free.historically sold to diabetics through chemist outlets, now being sold as weight control device, targeted at the figure conscious being sold through supermarkets

Points of Parity Association

2) Benefit related
a) Functional Lifebuoy (kills the germs you cannot see) Pepsodent (12 hr protection against germs) Fevicol (jod jo tootega nahin) M-Seal (seals all leaks) a) Emotional Close-Up (confident) Franklin Templeton Blue Chip (secure) Liril (fresh) J&J (caring) Axe (irresistible)

Points of Parity Association

3) By Usage Occasion and Time of Use Kwality Walls.(post dinner treat.10 oclock) Listerine (Night time rinse.Get fresh tonight) Clorets (after drinking, smoking, eating.after anything) Nescafe (great start to the morning) Britanias Chai Biscoot (for tea times) Dominos (when families are having fun, e.g. watching TV or playing scrabble)

Points of Parity Association

4) Price-Quality by Usage Occasion and Time of Use Peter England (the honest shirt) Big Bazaar Westside (surprisingly affordable) Indian Airlines (Apex fares) Nirma

Points of Parity Association

Hence a brand can break-even in those areas where their competitors are trying to find an advantage and

can achieve advantages in some other areas, the brand

should be in a strong and perhaps unbeatable

competitive position.

Why me ? Points of Difference Associations

PODs are Strong, Favourable, Unique
brand associations for a brand. They may be based on virtually any type of attribute or benefit association.

Point of Difference Associations

Brand
Gillette Dove Soap Orchid Hotels Ariel Detergent Ceat Tyres Maruti Service Maggi McDonalds

Differentiating Parameter
Double Edged Blade One Fourth Moisturiser Eco Friendly Hotel Performance Tough After Sales Service Food in two minutes Burgers that taste the same

Saffola
Asian Paints ICICI Bank Scotch Brite

98% Fat free

Computerized Shade Cards First Internet Banking Service Scrub with Sponge & Coir

POPs vs. PODs

The critical task is to identify a POD. How is the brand going to be different from other brands in the category
Category Toothpaste Brand Anchor POP White Taste Foam Looks Power POD Vegetarian Price

Cars

Tata Indigo

Interior space Ride comfortably

Scooters

Honda Activa

Power Price

Style

POPs vs. PODs

Gujarat / Anand

Indianness

Value for Money

Real Milk Ice-cream

Amul Ice-cream

Youth

Moppet

Dr. Kurien

Kwality Walls

Attitude

Enthusiasm
Premium

POPs vs. PODs

Yellow

Food

Sundrop

Fitness Healthy Little Kid Refined Oil

Saffola

Heart Attack

The Process of Market Positioning

Identify Target Markets
STAGE 1 Identify key offer characteristics Tangible (colour, size, design) Intangible reputation, guarantees Service features identification And weightage to each of them

STAGE 2 Draw a perceptual map

Head-On me too
STAGE 3 Decide on a competitive strategy

Position away / avoid competition Less profitable; on growth

STAGE 4 Design offer attributes, associated Imageries

STAGE 5 Sustain a competitive advantage

USP

33

USP - Definition
Having a USP will dramatically improve the positioning and marketability of your company and products by accomplishing 3 things for you:

Unique - It clearly sets you apart from your competition, positioning you in more logical choice. Selling - It persuades customer to exchange money for a product or service.

Proposition - It is a proposal or offer suggested for acceptance.

Winning USP examples

The following are powerful USPs that alleviate the "pain" experienced by the consumers in their industries.. Example #1 - Package Shipping Industry Pain - I have to get this package delivered quickly USP - "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight." (Federal Express) Example #2 - Food Industry Pain - The kids are starving, but Mom and Dad are too tired to cook!

USP - "Pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it's free." (Dominos Pizza) (This USP is worth $1 BILLION to Dominos Pizza)

How to create your USP

How To Develop Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your USP is the very essence of what you are offering. Your USP needs to be so compelling that it can be used as a headline that sells your product or service.
Step Step Step Step Step Step Step 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: Use Your Biggest Benefits Be Unique Solve An Industry "Pain Point" Or "Performance Gap Be Specific And Offer Proof Condense Into One Clear And Concise Sentence Integrate Your USP into ALL Marketing Materials Deliver On Your USP's Promise

How to create your USP

Proposition Examples:

Hallmark: When you care enough to send the very best. Subway: Subs with under 6 grams of fat. "You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less -- or it's free." Domino's Pizza "When your package absolutely, positively has to get there overnight" Fedex Little drops of joy" Coca-Cola "Diamonds are forever ..." DeBeers "The ultimate driving machine" BMW "The best a man can get" Gillette

The Process of Market Positioning

Identify Target Markets
STAGE 1 Identify key offer characteristics Tangible (colour, size, design) Intangible reputation, guarantees Service features identification And weightage to each of them

STAGE 2 Draw a perceptual map

Head-On me too
STAGE 3 Decide on a competitive strategy

Position away / avoid competition Less profitable; on growth

STAGE 4 Design offer attributes, associated Imageries

USP

STAGE 5 Sustain a competitive advantage

38

Repositioning Gaining competitive advantage

Over time a great brand idea doesnt change, only its expression does. Renewing and refreshing the expression to ensure continuing relevance is a challenging journey. So if Surf is about Champion Mother and yesterdays dirty kids, modern parenting is all about good mothers who allow their kids to get dirty.