Positioning - Book Summary

Carve out a niche in a crowded marketplace with savvy brand positioning

Imagine trying to carve your name into a block of granite - with a herring. That's a bit like trying to establish a new brand in today's saturated market. Yet some companies manage to do just this with remarkable success. Apple, Coca-Cola, and Burger King are a few standout names that have managed to shine in the crowded spotlight of their respective industries, despite strong resistance and prevailing giants.

In this exploration of branding wisdom, you'll learn the secrets these companies employ to burrow into the minds of skeptical consumers, wrestle market share away from leading contenders, and establish a lasting position in the competitive landscape. We'll uncover the concept of positioning — a marketing strategy that's all about finding your unique place in the consciousness of your target audience. And along the way, we'll navigate through the minefield of marketing blunders to reveal the pitfalls you'll want to avoid.

From the intricacies of getting your message through to a disinterested public, to learning why number one brands can stumble and leave room for insurgents, this narrative is your guide to understanding the battlefield of branding. It's time to discover how to place your product front and center in the minds of consumers and keep it there. Welcome to the art of positioning — the pathway to creating a brand that resonates and endures.

In a world awash with ads, only the strongest brands make the cut in our minds

Picture your brain as a beleaguered librarian, tirelessly sorting through an ever-growing avalanche of books — that's what it feels like in a world saturated with advertisements and marketing messages. We're at a stage where the sheer volume of information is staggering, and our minds, in self-defense, have become masterful at filtering out the noise.

Every day we're assailed by a formidable array of brand messages, to the point where the average American is inundated with tens of thousands of marketing prompts every single day. We wake up to ads on our phones, we're greeted by endorsements on our cereal boxes at breakfast, and everywhere we turn, from the billboards on our commute to the pop-ups on our screens, the onslaught is relentless.

It's no wonder that our brains have adapted by ranking products and brands in a mental hierarchy. At the top of this invisible ladder sits the brand that has climbed its way into our mind with the most persuasive and memorable marketing strategy — securing its spot as our go-to choice. And the rest? They're relegated to the lower rungs, oftentimes forgotten in the shadow of the market leader.

But now, let's turn to the digital realm, where Android and iOS dominate the mobile operating system landscape. Their marketing prowess has been so effective that they've all but eclipsed other players. The result? A duopoly where the name of any other mobile OS barely registers in the collective consciousness.

So, what's the takeaway for brands trying to elbow their way into this highly selective mental marketplace? Standing out is no longer just an option — it's a necessity. Brands must develop strategies that not only reach customers but also resonate so powerfully that they rise to the top of the mental ladder and become entrenched there. Anything less, and they risk being filtered out into oblivion.

Claim the 'first mover' spot and set the benchmark for your category

When it comes to leaving an indelible mark in the consumer's mind, there's nothing quite like being the pioneer, the original — the first. It's the equivalent of planting your flag on unclaimed territory; suddenly, you're not just another option, you're the defining standard. Take Coca-Cola, which has long enjoyed the prestigious title of the definitive soft drink, etching itself in minds across the globe for countless years.

Our brains are wired to honor firsts. The initial product we encounter in any category tends to be the one we stick with, while successors can end up being mere background players in our memory's theatre. It's like being the first kid to jump into the pond at the start of summer — everyone else is just a splash after you.

Apple skillfully maneuvered into this prime spot by positioning the Mac as the first computer tailored to an upscale demographic. The result? Apple products have become synonymous with luxury and quality and can command higher prices as a result. Polaroid, too, forged its way into collective memory by being the first instant photography brand, becoming an iconic name even after the technology waned in popularity.

Statistics back this up — the first brand to breach a market is likely to sell double what the runner-up does. Owning that leading edge also gives the brand carte blanche to sculpt consumer perceptions to their liking. Without preconceptions or competitor comparisons, they can chart the course for how this new product is viewed and understood.

Consider the case of Coca-Cola once more. When 7-Up and Dr Pepper made their entrances, they were automatically pitted against the archetype — Coke. They were cast in the role of the 'me-too' contenders, forever vying to shake off shadows cast by their precursor.

The moral of the story? If you manage to snag that coveted 'first' slot in the consumer consciousness, you've struck branding gold. The market rewards pioneers, so aim to lead the pack, set the precedent, and bask in the lasting glow of being the first fish to leap into the pond.

Stand out with a marketing angle that resonates with the times

You've got a product, and it's a winner — but how will you ensure it doesn't drown in the sea of similar offerings? The magic happens when you harness the power of the zeitgeist with a marketing approach that's not just memorable, but also in sync with the flavors of the era.

Surveying the lay of the land is crucial when plotting your product's market positioning. Reflect on Marlboro's success: their rugged, masculine branding found a foothold in a culture that was ready to embrace that ideal. Now, consider the unfortunate Lorilland. Attempting to follow Marlboro's lead but lagging two decades behind means they missed the beat. Trends had shifted, and masculinity wasn't the ticket to brand recognition anymore. Timing, as they say, is everything.

Apple, on the other hand, played its cards right by stepping into the market as a sleek alternative to the humdrum PC. By targeting those with a bit more cash to splash and an eye for design, they tapped into an existing hunger within the market — setting themselves on a trajectory to become a titan of tech.

Once you've landed on a strategy that resonates, it's essential to have the conviction to see it through. Decide on how you wish to cultivate your brand's image over an extended horizon, without getting jittery over the short-term turbulence you might face. Sudden shifts away from a winning formula can be detrimental, as witnessed by the case of Avis. They went from being the plucky "No. 2" that "tried harder" to an overconfident challenger for the top spot, and as a consequence, they stumbled.

Your takeaway? Ride the wave of contemporary trends and once you've reached a sweet spot with your marketing message, don't be too hasty to relinquish what brought fame to your name. Stick with it, and let the roots of your brand's identity dig deep and hold firm.

When you're second, outmaneuver the leader by carving out your own space

So you missed out on being the trailblazer in your market — don't fret. There's more than one way to climb the mountain of success. If you're entering an arena with a champion already holding the belt, it's going to take some tactical finesse to step into the spotlight.

It's a tough sell trying to peddle a product that arrives on the heels of a trendsetter. The trust and familiarity that consumers have for the original can eclipse any newcomer, no matter how superior it may be. That's why the smart move is to seek out untrodden paths — niches where the reigning king's light doesn't shine. Finding an unclaimed luxury tier, for example, can set your brand apart. Enter Michelob: it wisely positioned itself as the first premium beer, tapping into a thirsty audience willing to pay more for a taste of the high life.

But there's another strategy at your disposal: play off your competition's image. Rather than marching into battle trying to outshine the leader, why not pull a judo move and use their strength against them? That's exactly what Avis did with their ingenious “we try harder” campaign. As the perpetual second-best to Hertz, they flipped the script, positioning themselves as the scrappy underdog whose entire mission was to outperform the leader. The results were nothing short of remarkable — it wasn't sympathy that drove sales; it was the sharp contrast that etched Avis's new identity in the clientele's collective psyche.

Alternatively, consider repositioning your competitor to shake up the status quo. This is like reassigning the chess pieces on the board to open up a critical square for your taking. Tylenol played this game excellently by highlighting the potential side effects of Aspirin, the then-dominant painkiller. As worries about Aspirin's safety rose, so did the opportunity for a "safe painkiller" position. Tylenol seized it and ascended to the top of the analgesic market.

Being first is great, but if you're not, fear not. By niching down or shifting the consumer's perception of your competitors, you can still find a way to bask in the limelight and steal some of the market for yourself.

Leverage your brand wisely — avoid diluting its power with misguided extensions

Picture a tall, strong oak tree. It's taken years to grow, sturdy and majestic. Now, imagine strapping a bunch of lesser saplings to its branches, hoping they'll draw strength from the oak's robust trunk. In the world of branding, this is akin to hitching a new product to the success of an iconic brand — and it's risky business.

It's easy to be lured by the siren call of a well-established brand name, believing that its halo will automatically confer trust and preference onto any related product. But even titans like Coca-Cola can stumble, as they did with the launch of Mr. Pibb — an attempt to replicate their cola success in the world of Dr. Pepper-like beverages. Their endeavor fell short, proof that even industry leaders can't simply clone their way to a new hit.

This boils down to a fundamental rule of thumb in branding: to the consumer, a brand should embody one primary product, one core promise. Trying to straddle two horses with one brand often leads to a fall. It's the quintessential battle for brand essence, where stretching a name too thin can backfire spectacularly. Dial's foray from soap into deodorants with the same moniker is a case in point; it led not to a shower of sales, but rather, a dry spell.

Remember, in the consumer's psyche, it's not the product but the name that holds the fort — etched into their mind is what that name represents. When you overextend that identity into products that don't align, you chip away at that solid image you've worked hard to establish.

However, a perfectly honed brand name can achieve a kind of immortality, transcending the product and becoming shorthand for an entire category. Band-Aid didn't become synonymous with adhesive bandages by splitting its identity; it did so by being singularly excellent. When you need a quick fix for a small injury, you don't ask for an adhesive bandage — you ask for a Band-Aid. That's the pinnacle of branding success: when your name becomes the universal byword for what you offer.

Make your brand's name stick by keeping it clear and catchy

Your brand's name is a beacon, a calling card that introduces and reminds customers of who you are: it's crucial. What, then, makes a name stick in the vast catalogue of consumer consciousness? Clarity and memorability are the twin pillars of naming success.

Once upon a time, brands enamored with the allure of sophistication might have reached for an erudite, but obscure, word to crown their identity, much like Esquire magazine did. But as Esquire's decline in the shadow of the more straightforwardly-named Playboy revealed, obscurity is perilous. Accessibility is paramount; if your customer has to reach for a dictionary, you've already lost ground.

Of course, if your brand is first past the post, the uniqueness of a coined name like Kodak or Xerox can work in your favor, since there's no prior category knowledge to leverage. The early bird can get away with a bit more name creativity because it gets to set the stage.

However, even strong market presence isn't a shield against all naming woes — just ask Coca-Cola, whose nickname "Coke" shares unsavory associations with a certain illicit substance. Their dominant market position, though, insulates them from potential harm.

If you’re not trailblazing the market, your safest bet is to opt for simplicity and recognition. Take Newsweek for instance — it’s a prime example of a name that's both descriptive and effortlessly recallable. It’s a model of naming efficiency.

Beware the seductive lure of the "no-name" trap where acronyms masquerade as brand identities. Unless you have the cachet of an International Business Machines, which earned the right to be the iconic IBM, acronyms are the antithesis of recallable names. They’re often a murky soup of letters, hard to remember, and even harder to relate to.

At the end of the day, a name that resonates is one that can be easily spoken and understood with a snap of the fingers. Like a hook in a catchy song, it must be instantaneously hummable. So when crafting your brand's moniker, aim for that sweet spot — a name that’s immediately recognizable, rolls off the tongue, and lodges itself firmly in the market's memory.

Positioning: The battle for your customer's mind

If you want your product to not just enter the market but to thrive in it, strategic positioning is your lifeline. Start with a name that's both impactful and easily understood. It's your brand's first impression — make it count. Steer clear of marketing traps like leveraging a successful brand name for an unrelated product, which can dilute its strength, or adopting complex acronyms that will be quickly forgotten.

Remember, there's a distinct advantage to being the first in the market, but if that ship has sailed, don't despair. Instead, look to carve out a unique niche, or craft an identity that contrasts with the existing giants. Use your competition's strength to highlight what sets you apart, and embrace your unique qualities rather than imitating others. When executed correctly, these strategies not only secure a spot for your product — they make it a fixture in your customers' lives.