Brand

Positioning
A. Kwanta Panthongprasert
Albert Laurence School of Communication Arts
Department of Advertising
2010
 Chapter Outline
Basic Concepts of Brand
Positioning
Target Market
Segmentation bases
Criteria
Positioning Guidelines
Defining and communicating
the competitive frame of
reference
Choosing and establishing
points of parity and points of
difference
Defining and Establishing
Brand Mantras
Core brand associations
Brand mantras
 Reference Texts:
Keller, Kevin L. (2003), Strategic Brand Management:
Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity
(second ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Aaker, David A. (2002), Building Strong Brands. New
York: Free Pr.
Aaker, David A., Joachimsthaler E. (2002), Brand
Leadership. New York: Free Pr.
Haig M., (2005), Brand Failures: the truth about the 100
biggest branding mistakes of all time. London: Kogan.
 Brand Positioning
Positioning: identifying and establishing
points of parity and points of difference to
establish the right brand identity and
brand image.
 Basic Concept

Unique, meaningful points of

difference provide a competitive
advantage and reason why
consumers should buy the brand.

no reason why not

 Brand Positioning: is at the heart of
marketing strategy. It is the act of
designing the companys offer and image
so that it occupies a distinct and valued
place in the target customers minds.

Position = Location (finding proper

location of the product in the consumers
minds)
How it is different?

And why
consumers should
purchase and use
it?
So, marketers need to
know
1. Who the target consumer is?
2. Who the main competitors
are?
3. How the brand is similar to
these competitors?
4. How the brand is different
from them?
 Target Market
Market: is the set of all actual and
potential buyers who have sufficient
interest in, income for, and access to
a product.
Market Segmentation: divided the
market into distinct groups of
homogeneous consumers who have
similar needs and consumer
behavior.
 Segmentation Bases
Descriptive or customer-oriented:
what kind of person or organization
the customer is
Behavioral or product-oriented: how
the customer thinks of or uses the
brand or product
Descriptive or customer-oriented

Who?
Consumers VS Business Buyers
Consumer Segmentation Bases
Behavioral Psychographic
User status Value, opinions, and
Usage rate attitudes
Usage location Activities and
lifestyle
Brand loyalty
Benefit sought Geographic
Demographic International
Income regional
Age
Sex
Race
Family
 Business-to-business
Segmentation Bases
Nature of Demographic
good SIC code
Kind Number of
Where used employees
Number of
Type of buy
production workers
Buying Annual sales volume
condition Number of
Purchase establishments
location
Who buys
Type of buy
 Behavioral or product-oriented

How?
**Depend on each product category**
 EX: Toothpaste
1. The sensory segment: seeking flavor
and product appearance
2. The sociables: seeking brightness of
teeth
3. The worriers: seeking decay
prevention
4. The independent segment: seeking
low price
Who the main competitors are?
 How the brand is similar to these
competitors?
How the brand is different from them?
Points of parity: associations that are
not unique to the brand but may be
shared with other brands.
Points of difference: attributes or
benefits that consumers strongly
associate with a brand and they
believe that they could not find from
a competitive brand
 Positioning Guidelines
Designing and communicating the
competitive frame of reference
To determine category membership
Which products does the brand complete?
Different categories will lead to different
points of parity and points of difference
Ex: PDA smart phone, laptop, palm
Ex: Coca cola soft drink, carbonated
drink, general beverage
Ex: Kelloggs Corn Flakes cereal, snack,
morning meal
 Positioning Guidelines
Choosing points of difference

Desirability criteria
Relevance
Distinctiveness
Believability
Deliverability criteria
Feasibility
Communicability
Sustainability
 Positioning Guidelines
Establishing Points of Parity and
Points of Difference

Separate the attributes

Leverage equity of another entity
Redefine the relationship
 Positioning Guidelines
Updating positioning over time
Laddering: how to deepen the meaning
of the brand to tap into core brand
associations or more abstract
considerations
Reacting: how to respond to
competitive challenges that threaten an
existing positioning
Do nothing
Go on the defensive
Go on the offensive
 Exercise
Pick 2 big brands in the same category
Evaluate the positioning of each brand.
Who are the target markets?
Who and how?
What are their main points of parity and
points of difference?
Both performance and imagery
Have they defined their positioning correctly?
How might it be improved?
Defining and Establishing
Brand Mantras
 Core Brand Associations
Core Brand Associations: are those abstract
associations that characterize the 5 to 10
most important aspects or dimensions of a
brand.

They can serve as the basis of brand

positioning in terms of how they create
points of parity and points of difference.
 How do we know core brand
associations?
Create mental map: all salient brand
associations and responses for a
particular target market.
Group brand associations into related
categories with descriptive labels
 Ex. MTV mental map
trendsetter
popular changing
mainstream original
trusting
Real and genuine

leader
For me
MTV
informative Fun and entertaining
music
lifestyle young

Live and immediate

Hip and cool
connected
Irreverent and rebellious
interactive
 Ex. MTV core brand
associations
Music Interactivity
Whats hot and whats new Connected and
participatory
Credibility
Expert, trusting,
Community
Share experience
reality
Spontaneity
Personality
Up to the minute,
Irrelevant, hip, cool immediate
Accessibility Originality
Relevant, for everyone Genuine, creative
Fluidity
Always changing and
evolving
 Brand Mantras
Heart & Soul
Core brand promise
Similar to brand essence
3 5 words that captures spirit of the brand
Ex: McDonalds brand philosophy: Food, Folks
and Fun
 Designing Brand Mantra
What the brand is and what is not!!!
Brand function: nature of product, benefits the
brand provides
ex: Nike performance
ex: Disney -- entertainment
Descriptive modifier: further clarifies its nature
ex: Nike athletic (not just typical performance)
ex: Disney -- family
Emotional modifier: provide another qualifier,
how exactly does the brand provide benefits
and in what ways?
ex: Nike Authentic
ex: Disney -- fun
 Implementing Brand Mantra
Communicate: a good brand mantra
should both define the category of
business to set the brand boundaries and
clarify what is unique about the brand
Simplify: an effective bran mantra should
be memorable, short, vivid
Inspire: the brand mantra should also
stake out ground that is personally
meaningful and relevant to as many
employees and possible
?