In 2003 Keller famously pointed public attention to the definition of a brand as a product that diversifies the position of an organization as it adds the je ne sais quoi to a core product offering of a business allowing differentiation to take more personified of advantageousness or also known as the competitiveness.
Over a decade earlier, Kapferer (1992) researches the relationship between a brand and the risk factor confirming that without the factor of uncertainty brand is nothing more than a name for a product, however, if elements of emotional connections and reliability or even security are considered through the lens of brand position, it becomes something more, it is the rigid mark engraved in the spine of corporate value.
Brand positioning represents a firm’s strategy that defines the present and future directions of marketing communication activities of an organization focused on elevating the consumer perception of a brand as the one and the right selection essential to significantly heighten the preferential options inherently existing in the mind of the consumer. One of the positioning fathers, Al RiesAl Ries, emphasizes that focusing on customer mind, instead of on the product-traditionality, the company who creates and dominates a category in customer mind is most likely to be the leader, therefore having a strong brand positioning together with an unbeatable visual hammer-based visual communication plan places a thin but firm layer of a rather comforting blanket of security on laps of consumers who select to purchase services or products of a firm.
But how to remain competitive despite the constantly challenging activities notoriously generated by market rivals?
Clancy and Trout (2002) and Porter (2008) noticed that even the strongest of the strongest experience battles of competitive powers. To enhance the current solidity of a brand position as well as magnify its competitive positioning some of the undertakings include originality, in other words, irreplaceability that is difficult to imitate as well as the capability to create distinctiveness in consumers’ perceptions.
This guidepost shall lead any further pathway for a business leading to walking in the right direction of positioning that represents the art of designing the corporate offering brand style that has every right and chance to occupy the highest place in the consumers’ minds.
This is one of the prerequisite virtue, the importance of which shall be acknowledged by firms at early stages, this intangible asset in a form of the brand allows businesses to capitalize on the magnitude of opportunities generated through strong brand equity (Orton-Jones, 2015).
An essential stage in crafting brand value is drawing the silhouette of the positioning character, think of a brand as the solo ballerina in the ballet performance opening act, when characteristics of professionalism, classic elegance, and timeless aesthetics intertwined with each other provide the right background for the ballet dancer to deliver the outstanding performance leaving the spectators with a feeling of extraordinary senses-driven feast experience that will stay in their minds, hearts, and souls for long. Now let’s think of resurrecting that kind of feeling through actions planned to shape consumers’ perceptions when they interact with brands and come to life when appropriately positioning strategies are employed by firms (Park, Jaworski, and MacInnis, 1986; Porter, 2001; Blankson, 2016). Brand positioning is an important strategic concept often appearing in consumer marketing however also visible in other sectors of industries.
According to Webster (1991), the firm’s unique way of delivering value to consumers is the brand’s unique proposition, it is the brand value. A brand positioning strategy is the entry step, the predecessor of brand management strategy, in other words, the right positioning supports the delivery of the distinctive brand image of the brand in consumers’ mind, the right brand mental image, the ultimate and authentic style (Park, Jaworski, and Maclnnis, 1986).
The invisible, but strongly present through the set of well-aligned experiences associated with a brand, the synergy between branding and the concept of positioning shall be oftentimes acknowledged by senior managerial and leadership individuals responsible for crafting the right positioning for the brand in the right marketplace.
Oftentimes, in the business environment, in particular, the concepts of branding and positioning are used as one, the brand positioning, however, it is worthwhile to acknowledge that both positioning and branding are seemingly independent variabilities associated strongly with a performance of a business. Simultaneously, some marketing scholars acknowledged the strong and close relationship between the two of them than others (Fuchs and Diamantopoulos, 2010; Blankson, 2016).
To maximize the possibilities for the successful launch of a company to the marketplace both scholars and practitioner shall have a greater insight into how brands position themselves in the marketplace.
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