Marketing Communications

POSITIONING 139

Table 4.4 Positioning strategies

z Product attributes or benefits

z Price/quality

z Use or application

z Product class

z Product user

z Competitor

z Cultural symbols

Positioning by use or application implies emphasising a specifi c use or application of the

product. For instance, Kellogg’s introduced cereals as a snack at hours other than breakfast

by off ering little variety packages that kids can take to school. Positioning by product class is

an alternative to positioning against another brand, e.g. Eurostar off ers a fast train connection

as an alternative to airline connections. Positioning by product user is associating a product

with a specifi c group of users, e.g. Aquarius, a thirst-quenching isotone drink for sporting

men and women, is positioning a brand by a group of product users. In positioning by com-

petitor, comparative advertising is oft en used. A well-known example is Avis, which uses the

slogan ‘we try harder’ to position itself against the market leader in car and truck rental,

Hertz. Th e drink 7 UP was positioned as ‘the un-cola’ and became number 3 in the soft drinks

market. Cultural symbols refer to brand personalities or branding devices such as Tony the

Tiger (Kellogg’s Frosties), Mr Clean, Captain Iglo, Bibendum (Michelin). Th ese symbols are a

visual way of successfully diff erentiating from competitors. Th e brand personality or cultural

symbol oft en visualises the key benefi t of a product. For instance, Mr Clean is a powerful,

clean symbol. Tony the Tiger gives power and strength.

A company may possibly detect diff erent competitive edges, in which case it will have to

choose one or more competitive advantages for its positioning strategy. A company can focus

on one single advantage for a target group. Th is exclusive unique selling proposition (USP) will

be easier to remember by the target group, especially in low-involvement buying situations.

Other companies will stress more than one competitive advantage. Th is is necessary when

two or more competitors claim to be the best in the same attributes. Volvo, for example,

claims to be both safe and durable.

Figure 4.3 Mapping the salty snack market

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