Positioning is the act of designing the

companys offering and image to occupy

a distinctive place in the target markets
mind.
New beetle: German engineering,
nostalgic driving experience for
youth
BMW: Ultimate
Mercedez: Great
Engineering

Driving Machine USP

Crest: Anticavity USP

Status

Perceptual
Mapping

Calvin
Klein

Unoccupied
position

Levis
Price
Gap

Wrangler

Strategic Alternatives

Strengthen current position

Grab unoccupied position

Repositioning

New beetle
Zenith with HDTV

Possible Positioning Strategies

1. Brand attribute positioning (32 YEARS - IMT)
2. Brand benefit positioning (Lowers Cholesterol)
3. Use or application positioning (Easy-to-Pour Pouch)
4. User-based positioning (The professionals choice
Allen Solly Friday Clothing)
5. Competitor-based positioning (Avis. We try harder.)
6. Product category positioning (best Indian accredited
business school)
7. Quality or price positioning (best quality or Always
the low price-carrefour)
8. Customer service-based positioning (Award Winning
Customer Service-starbucks)

Points-of-Parity
and Points-of-Difference

Points-of-parity associations (POPs)

are not necessarily unique to the brand but may in fact be
shared with other brands.
basic or expected product level (important for brand
extensions like Dove)

Points-of-difference (PODs)
attributes or benefits that consumers strongly associate
with a brand, positively evaluate, and believe that they
could not find to the same extent with a competitive brand.
similar to USP
On performance attributes (Eg. Hyundai) or Imagery (Five
star airlines Qatar Airways) or combined (Eg. Lexus)

3.6

Differentiation
Process of adding a set of meaningful and
valued differences to distinguish the
companys offering from competitor
Ikea good quality furniture at a low price
They have restaurant, child care,
membership program and mails out catalog
Natural silk shampoo we put silk in a bottle
P&G-Folgers instant coffee flaked coffee
crystal; Nescafe Gold Blend
Godrej - PUF

Important
Important
Profitable
Profitable

Distinctive
Distinctive

Differences Worth
Establishing
Affordable
Affordable

Superior
Superior
Preemptive
Preemptive

Product Differentiation

Form

Durability

Features

Performance
Quality

Conformance
Quality

Reliability

Repairability

Style

Design

Services Differentiation

Customer
Customer
Consulting
Consulting

Installation
Installation

Delivery
Delivery

Customer Maintenance
Maintenance
Customer
Training
Repair
Training
&&Repair

Miscellaneous
Services

Ordering
Ordering
Ease
Ease

Differentiation

Personnel

Singapore airlines (flight attendants) McDonalds

Courteous employees

Channel

Coverage, expertise, performance

HUL, EMAMI, CAVINKARE

Image Differentiation
Colors
Media
(Pepsi, coke,
(Magazines)Symbols
Kodak)
(Apple comp)

Events
(Ferrari)

Sales & profits ($)

Sales & Profit Life Cycles

for the product

Introduction

Growth

Maturity

Time

Decline

Introduction Stage
Pioneer Advantage
Early users

recall the name

Pioneer brand establishes the attributes for

the product category (Eg. Xerox, coca cola
etc.)
Not always true (Eg. Netscape, Apples
Newton)

Maturity Stage
Market Modification
Product Modification
Marketing-Mix Modification

Decline Stage
Increase investment
Resolve uncertainties - stable
investment
Selective niches
Harvesting
Divesting