1. Identifying & Establishing
Brand Positioning

2. Positioning – The Battle of Your Mind
To succeed, the first step is to position or ‘situate’ the
brand in the target consumer’s 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

3. 3
The Process of Market Positioning
STAGE 1
Identify key offer characteristics
STAGE 2
Draw a perceptual map
STAGE 3
Decide on a competitive strategy
STAGE 4
Design offer attributes, associated
Imageries
STAGE 5
Sustain a competitive advantage
Identify Target Markets
Tangible (colour, size, design)
Intangible reputation, guarantees
Service features identification
And weightage to each of them
Head-On “me too”’
Position away / avoid competition
Less profitable; on growth
USP

4. Brand knowledge
 Associative Network Memory Model
Fresh
Waterfall
Lime
Clean
Bathing
Green and
YellowLIRIL
Brand
Awareness
Brand
Image

5. Brand knowledge
 Associative Network Memory Model
Real milk
Dairy
product
Gujarat /
Anand
Dr. Kurien
Indianness (co-operative)
Value for
Money
Amul
Brand
Awareness
Brand
ImageMoppet

6. Competitive Positioning

7. 7
The Process of Market Positioning
STAGE 1
Identify key offer characteristics
STAGE 2
Draw a perceptual map
STAGE 3
Decide on a competitive strategy
STAGE 4
Design offer attributes, associated
Imageries
STAGE 5
Sustain a competitive advantage
Identify Target Markets Tangible (colour, size, design)
Intangible reputation, guarantees
Service features identification
And weightage to each of them
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

8. Occupy a ‘slot’ in consumer’s mind
Positioning, therefore starts with our
understanding or ‘mapping’ of a prospect
consumer’s 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’.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. Perceptual Mapping of digestive brands
Medicinal
Natural
Low Efficacy
Hajmola
Pudin Hara
Eno
Digene
Gelusil
High Efficacy

12. Perceptual Mapping for hair oils
Pleasant
perfume
No perfume
Helps hair
groomingParachute
Keo Karpin
Mahabhringaraj
Arnica
Makes hair greasy
Dabur Amla

13. Perceptual Mapping for toothpaste
Fresh breath
Good for gums
Dabur lal
powder
Forhan’s
regular
Colgate
Pepsodent
Close-up
High
HighLow
Low

14. HighLow
High
Low
Health
Taste
Postman
Saffola
Sundrop
Dhara Groundnut
Perceptual Mapping of Oil brands

15. HighLow
High
Low
Cleans dirt
Makes extra
white
Robin Liquid
Detergent powders
Detergent bars
Perceptual map of washing products
Robin liquid is attempting to distinguish itself from
Detergent products on the dimension of
‘extra whiteness’

16. 16
The Process of Market Positioning
STAGE 1
Identify key offer characteristics
STAGE 2
Draw a perceptual map
STAGE 3
Decide on a competitive strategy
STAGE 4
Design offer attributes, associated
Imageries
STAGE 5
Sustain a competitive advantage
Identify Target Markets
Tangible (colour, size, design)
Intangible reputation, guarantees
Service features identification
And weightage to each of them
Head-On “me too”’
Position away /
avoid competition
Less profitable; on growth
USP

17. 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 competitor’s
 How the brand is different from competitor’s.
For whom am I?
What Am I? (POP)Who am I?
Why me? (POD)

18. Brand Positioning
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.

19. Brand Positioning
For Whom am I?
a) Demographic
b) Behavioural (usage pattern)
c) Psychographic segments
d) The Consumer as a whole person

20. Brand Positioning
For Whom am I?
Demographic
- Lilliput (for kids age 3-12yrs)
- Citibank ‘s Women Card
- MTV (Youth)

21. Brand Positioning
For Whom am I?
Behavioural (usage pattern)
- Lays (no one can eat just one) exploits the
behaviour of the heavy eaters of potato wafers.
- Gelusil too targets the compulsive eaters (who
are typically the largest sufferers from acidity)
- ‘’Thanda matlab Coca Cola’ (Target group tend
to ask for a chilled carbonated beverage)
phraseology ‘ek thanda dena’, now made
memorable by Coke and Aamir Khan

22. Brand Positioning
For Whom am I?
Psychographic segments (what am I seen as?)
- Pepsi (youthful)
- Van Huesen (Corporate……Power dressing)
- Thumps Up (macho…..have you grown up to
Thumps Up yet?)
- Bajaj Pulsar (masculine….Definitely Male)
- Raymond (complete man)
- Hitachi (perfectionists)

23. Brand Positioning
For Whom am I?
The Consumer as a Whole Person
- Whirlpool housemaker
- J&J Mom
- The Saffola wife
- Surf housewife (Surf Excel hai na)

24. Cadbury Perk
Cadbury Perk
Any time - any
where
To satisfy in
between meals /
hunger
Young, 20-30
years, M/F
Why
me?
For whom
What am I?
Who am I ?

25. Colgate
Colgate
When you wake-up
After meals
Before going to sleep
Oral hygiene &
Fresh breadth
Everyone above
the age of 3yrs
Why
me?
For whom
What am I? Who am I?

26. What am I –
Points of Parity Association
POPs, are those associations that aren’t
necessarily unique to the brand but may in fact
be shared with other brands

27. 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.

28. 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

29. Points of Parity Association
1) Category Related
Tanishq……watches sold as jewellery
Vaseline……petroleum 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

30. 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)

31. Points of Parity Association
3) By Usage Occasion and Time of Use
Kwality Walls….(post dinner treat….10
o’clock)
Listerine (Night time rinse….Get fresh tonight)
Clorets (after drinking, smoking, eating….after
anything)
Nescafe (great start to the morning)
Britania’s Chai Biscoot (for tea times)
Domino’s (when families are having fun, e.g.
watching TV or playing scrabble)

32. Points of Parity Association
3) By Usage Occasion and Time of Use
Boroplus which showed occasions like
shaving, nick and cuts, chapped lips, winter
dryness, nappy rash to suggest expanded uses
for the antiseptic cream.
Cadbury Celebrations was launched to
leverage the adult gifting segment. Research
showed that two of the largest occasions for
gifting in India were Raksha Bandhan and
Diwali. Cadbury now has been special pack
and advertising that present

33. 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

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. Brand
• Gillette Double Edged Blade
• Dove Soap One Fourth Moisturiser
• Orchid Hotels Eco – Friendly Hotel
• Ariel Detergent Performance
• Ceat Tyres Tough
• Maruti Service After Sales Service
• Maggi Food in two minutes
• McDonalds Burgers that taste the same
• Saffola 98% Fat free
• Asian Paints Computerized Shade Cards
• ICICI Bank First Internet Banking Service
• Scotch Brite Scrub with Sponge & Coir
Differentiating
Parameter
Point of Difference Associations

37. 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 Brand POP POD
Toothpaste Anchor White Vegetarian
Taste Price
Foam
Cars Tata Indigo Looks Interior
space
Power Ride comfortably
Scooters Honda Activa Power Style
Price

38. Kwality
Walls
Amul
Ice-cream
Indianness
Moppet
Gujarat / Anand
Value for Money
Real Milk
Ice-cream
Dr. Kurien
Youth
Enthusiasm
Fun
Colourful
Attitude
Premium
POPs vs. PODs

39. Healthy
Refined
Oil
Little Kid
Yellow
Food
Sundrop
Saffola
Heart Attack
Fitness
POPs vs. PODs

40. 40
The Process of Market Positioning
STAGE 1
Identify key offer characteristics
STAGE 2
Draw a perceptual map
STAGE 3
Decide on a competitive strategy
STAGE 4
Design offer attributes, associated
Imageries
STAGE 5
Sustain a competitive advantage
Identify Target Markets Tangible (colour, size, design)
Intangible reputation, guarantees
Service features identification
And weightage to each of them
Head-On “me too”’
Position away / avoid competition
Less profitable; on growth
USP

41. 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.

42. Winning USP examples
The following are 6 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)

43. Winning USP examples
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)
Example #3 - Real Estate Industry
 Pain - People want to sell their house fast without loosing
money on the deal.
 USP - "Our 20 Step Marketing System Will Sell Your House In
Less Than 45 Days At Full Market Value"

44. Winning USP examples
Example #4 - Dental Industry
 Pain - Many people don't like to go to the dentist because of the
pain and long wait.
 USP - "We guarantee that you will have a comfortable experience
and never have to wait more than 15 minutes" or you will receive
a free exam.“
Example #5 - Cold Medicine Industry
 Pain - You are sick, feel terrible, and can't sleep.
 USP - "The nighttime, coughing, achy, sniffling, stuffy head, fever,
so you can rest medicine." (Nyquil)

45. Winning USP examples
Example #6 - Jewelry Industry
 Pain - The market hates paying huge 300% mark-ups for
jewelry.
 USP - "Don't pay 300% markups to a traditional jeweler for
inferior diamonds! We guarantee that your loose diamond
will appraise for at least 200% of the purchase price, or
we'll buy it back.“

46. 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 1: Use Your Biggest Benefits
Step 2: Be Unique
Step 3: Solve An Industry "Pain Point" Or "Performance Gap“
Step 4: Be Specific And Offer Proof
Step 5: Condense Into One Clear And Concise Sentence
Step 6: Integrate Your USP into ALL Marketing Materials
Step 7: Deliver On Your USP's Promise

47. 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

48. 48
The Process of Market Positioning
STAGE 1
Identify key offer characteristics
STAGE 2
Draw a perceptual map
STAGE 3
Decide on a competitive strategy
STAGE 4
Design offer attributes, associated
Imageries
STAGE 5
Sustain a competitive advantage
Identify Target Markets Tangible (colour, size, design)
Intangible reputation, guarantees
Service features identification
And weightage to each of them
Head-On “me too”’
Position away / avoid competition
Less profitable; on growth
USP

49. Repositioning – Gaining competitive
advantage
Over time a great brand idea doesn’t 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 yesterday’s
dirty kids, modern parenting is all about good
mothers who allow their kids to get dirty.