Brand Positioning Strategy in IMC X

Category Need

What is it?

Y
User

Who is it for?

Z
Brand
What does it offer?

Benefit(s)

Brand Attitude

X Options in the X-YZ Macromodel of Positioning Location

(X = product category; options for brand = central or differentiated position within the product category) Central Position Differentiated position

1. Pioneer or market leader

3. All other brands

2. Me-too brand if product category 4. Including later meis such that attributes can be too brands objectively matched by follower, with a large price savings

Hierarchical Categorical Structure

Beverages

Nonalcoholic
Soft drinks Cola Waters Coffee Milk

Alcoholic
Fruit juice Tea Other

Noncola

Regular

Diet

YZ Options in the X-YZ Macromodel of Positioning Location

(Y = target audience; Z = brand benefits; options for brand = user-as-hero (Y) or product-as-hero (Z) positioning.) User-as-hero (Y) Product-as-hero (Z)

1. Target product with novice target 3. All other situations audience 2. Social approval product (social approval is the primary purchase motivation)

Positioning in the I-D-U Mesomodel Based on Purchase Motivations

(Decision Rule: Position the brand on the primary (strongest) motive unless most brands are already positioned there; in which case, go to the secondary (next strongest) motive)
Negatively originated (informational) motivations Positively originated (transformational) motivations

1. Problem removal 2. Problem avoidance 3. Incomplete satisfaction 4. Mixed approach-avoidance 5. Normal depletion: omitted for positioning

6. Sensory gratification 7. Intellectual stimulation or mastery 8. Social approval

I-D-U Positioning Rule (Applied for the High-Importance Benefits)

Emphasize the brands unique benefits Mention its equal benefits And trade off or omit its inferior benefits

Multiattribute Strategies for Brand Attitude

Attitudeb = (Bbi x Ei)

Qs: what strategy could we use to increase consumers attitude toward a brand?

The A-B-E Micromodel of Benefit Focus

1. 2. 3. 4.

5.
6.

Attribute focus Benefit focus from an attribute: a b Benefit focus: b Benefit focus from an emotion: e- b Emotion focus from a benefit: b e+ Pure emotion focus: e+

Conditions in the A-B-E Micromodel of Benefit Focus

Attribute (A) focus Expert target audience Intangible service As an alternative to emotion focus for homogeneous-benefit brands Benefit (B) focus Brand with hard-to-imitate benefit Negatively motivated (informational) brand: e-b Logical attack on entrenched emotional-based attitude: a b Emotion (E) focus Brand with easy-to-imitate benefits Positively motivated (transformational) brand brand: b e+ or e+ Emotional attack on entrenched attribute- or benefit-based attitude: e-b

Positioning Statement Format: Long Version

1. To (the target audience, Y)/ 2. _______ is the (central or differentiated) brand of (category need, X)/ 3. That offers (brand benefit or benefits, Z). The advertising for this brand: a. should emphasize (benefit or benefits, U, uniquely delivered) with (a, b, or e) focus, b. must mention (benefits or benefits, I, important entry tickets) c. and will omit or trade off (benefit or benefits, D -, inferior-delivery benefits).