This document discusses three important questions for effective brand positioning: 1) Have we established the right frame of reference for the brand? 2) Are we leveraging the important points of parity within that frame? 3) Are the points of difference for the brand compelling and differentiated from competitors? It provides examples of brands like Subway, FedEx, American Express that have successfully positioned themselves by considering these three questions. The key is establishing a frame, meeting points of parity, and having unique points of difference that are desirable, deliverable and difficult for competitors to copy. Positioning must also be consistent over time as consumer and category needs change.

1. 3 Questions you need to ask
about your brand
HBR Magazine Article
By
Kevin Lane Keller Brian Sternthal , Alice
Tybout

2. Effective brand positioning requires careful
consideration of a
brand’s points of difference,
points of parity with other products.

3. Brand positioning focusing only on a point of difference
leaves out important issues.

4. Like
Subway’s
Its ad agency recommended
that Subway presents itself
as the healthy fast-food brand.
Financed the production of a
television spot.
Subway’s executives were
concerned about the brand’s
competitive frame of reference
and the attendant points of
parity……..

5. Fast-food consumers often
perceive good taste and
healthfulness to be at odds.
Subway began running the
agency’s advertisements
nationwide.
But recently it has been
simultaneously running another
campaign promoting new
products on the basis of taste.

6. First question
Have We Established a Frame?

7. Brand positioning starts with establishing a frame of reference , which
signals to consumers the goal they can expect to achieve by using a brand.
Eg. Coca-Cola soft drink.
Competitors Pepsi-Cola , RC
in same category
competitors Gatorade(sport drink)
in somewhat Snapple(Iced Tea)
different category

8. One factor that influences the choice of frame of
reference is the product’s stage in the life cycle.

9. see
Fedex
When Federal Express launched its
service , it offered a clear point of
difference from traditional mail delivery
via the U.S. Postal Service: overnight
delivery.
As other providers of overnight
delivery services appeared, FedEx
positioned itself based on speed and
dependability.
Now it competes with other forms of
document transmission like fax or e-
mail.
‘Speed Delivery ‘ can no longer be the

10. Second question
Are We Leveraging Our Points
of parity?

11. Certain points of parity must be met if consumers are to perceive your
product as a legitimate and credible player within that frame.
A bank may not truly be considered a “bank” unless it offers checking and
savings plans , safe-deposit boxes etc. !!.

12. The more innovative the product,
the greater the difficulty of fitting it into an established frame.
Motorola’s Envoy, a personal digital assistant
Was too large to be called a pager,
Lacked keyboard , so it couldn’t be called a laptop
Was too expensive to called a calendar.
Ended up in failure

13. When extending a brand , it’s easy– and dangerous–to short-change points of parity .
The more an extension differs from a base brand, the greater the importance of focusing on the
of focusing on the frame of reference.
Managers of established brands also need to reassess
points of parity from time to time,
because attributes that were once differentiators can become minimum requirements.
requirements.

14. A brand can also “break even” in an area where competitors are
trying to break away.
And then achieve a point of difference in some other area.
See the example of American Express and Visa Mastercard

15. Visa’s point of difference is that it can be used in many places.
American Express’ is the prestige associated with use of its card.
Having established these points of difference , Visa and American Express now
compete by attempting to blunt each other’s advantage.
Visa offers gold and platinum cards to enhance the prestige of its cards;
American Express has increased the number of vendors that accept its cards.

16. Third question
Are the Points of Difference
Compelling?

17. Strong, favourable , unique associations that distinguish a brand from
others in the same frame of reference
are fundamental to successful brand positioning.
Careful analysis shows that there are three types of brand differences:
brand performance associations
brand imagery associations and
consumer insight associations

18. Brand performance associations
come into play when brands are assessed
on characteristics a buyer can investigate prior to purchase.

19. Brand Performance
associations include
Brand’s performance on
the benefits that prompt
consumption.
Relationship with a
brand’s reliability ,
durability , and
serviceability.
Service effectiveness,
efficiency, and empathy.
Style and design .
Associations to value and
price.

20. Brand Performance associations
come into play when you want to
buy a computer, a car, a book an
item of clothing i.e. products
with concrete qualities

21. But when making choices
based on experience such as
where to get a haircut or eat
dinner,
consumers use
brand imagery associations.
Brand imagery is established
by depicting who uses the
brand and under what
circumstances.

22. If all other measures are
equal, a brand that can
show consumers it has
insight into their
problems or goals .
This is called consumer insight association.

23. For example, ads for Lee Jeans show women’s
tribulations in the search for jeans that fit well
as the basis for positioning.
Lee positions itself
as the brand
that offers superior fit.

24. There are three questions through which to run your brand’s points-of-difference
benefits:
Are they
desirable to
customers?
Can you
deliver them?
Is it
differentiable
from
competitor?

25. To qualify as desirable,
a point of difference
must be perceived
by the brand’s
audience as both
relevant and believable.
The simplest approach to
believability is to point to a
unique, provable attribute
of the product.
In the early 1990s, for example, a number
of brands (colas, dishwashing soaps)
introduced “clear”–colourless and in some
cases transparent–versions of their
products to better differentiate themselves
from competitors

26. A product’s point of difference needs to meet three deliverability criteria .
Creating the
point of
difference
must be
feasible
positioning
on a
particular
benefit must
be profitable.
the
positioning
must be
preemptive,
defensible,
and difficult
to attack

27. Market leaders typically market their products on the basis of the category’s points of parity;
They try to create a “We are the frame of reference” message.
Coke (its ads suggest) is refreshment. McDonald’s equals great taste.

28. Consumers must see the brand position as
distinctive
And superior to
Relevant competitors
eg. Reliance 3g mobile telephone
Services is differentiating itself
in terms of superior clarity
and download speed

29. Putting it all together..

30. Developing an effective position goes
beyond determining the frame of
reference , points of parity, and points of
difference...

31. It also requires that these elements be
internally consistent at any point in
time and over time.

32. From a consumer’s perspective, the fact that a
brand possesses a given benefit can imply that it
will not possess another benefit.
It might be difficult to position a brand as
“inexpensive” and at the same time assert that it
is“of the highest quality.”

33. But, apparent contradictions can be
transcended. There are three good ways to go
about it.
Making the case that contradictions are rather
complements.
First, sequencing. Establish a brand’s (Miller
Lite)“great taste” before you move on to “less
filling.”
leveraging some other unconnected attribute.
Miller Lite addressed the negative correlation
between great taste and low calories by
presenting well-known and well-liked celebrities
to lend credibility to the taste benefit.

34. And making it last..

35. As a brand ages , the
challenge is to make sure it
stays up- to-date and in
touch with consumers’
shifting needs.

36. Sometimes the brand’s
position is sufficiently rich
that exactly the same
position can be sustained
over time.

37. Sometimes it has to be
demonstrated how the
brand relates to
consumers’ goals.
The brand is then
positioned in such a way
that its point of difference
becomes its essence and
implies goal attainment .
This is called laddering up

38. Another approach to sustaining a
brand position is to entail
identifying a differentiating
benefit that is important to
consumers and presenting, over
time, a variety of attributes that
imply the benefit.

39. Advertising for Green
Giant
The setting of green Giant ads
is always is the valley , so
consumers know that Green
Giant is around.
The reliable use of this context ,
and the fact that the benefit is
always superior quality, link the
individual executions as a
campaign .
By varying , over time , the
attributes that imply this benefit,
Green Giant provides new
information to sustain consumer
interest.

40. Successive generations of ads
have informed consumers that
Green Giant vegetables are
vacuum-packed, fresh frozen,
and packed in butter sauce to
imply superior quality and taste

41. Asking these questions will help ensure the right
brand positioning , but don’t think any of these
variables stays static for long . The savviest brand
positioners are also the most vigilant!!

42. Take a look at few more examples..

43. Moov
Moov is a pain relieving ointment from
Paras
Pharmaceuticals .
It is the one of the largest selling
rubefacient
Brands in India.
Consistently featured in the ‘ 100 most
trusted brands ‘ Brand equity Survey
The Economic Times.
But what makes it great?

44. Lets first look at its competitors

45. Volini
Product by Ranbaxy Laboratories
Won numerous awards like Pharma
Brand 2010,
Sun Brand 2011.
Positions itself as an expert care, doctor’s
favoured , fast and long lasting relief
spray/ointment.

46. Take a look at its ad.

47. Himani Fast Relief
Product by Emami Ltd.
The ointment’s core target is young
adults who leads an active lifestyle and
seek instant relief (according to their
website)
The brand has been endorsed by Gautam
Gambhir, Boxer Vijender Singh, Saina
Nehwal, Wrestler Mr. Sushil Kumar
along with Amitabh Bachchan.
Take a look at its ad.

48. Take a look at its ad.

49. Now take a look at Move’s ad.

50. Moov
Moov succeeded in a market dominated
by established brands promising relief
from headache , body ache and sprains.
It did this by positioning itself as the
backache specialist.
However , it started with old people as
the target segment.
Now, it is also available as an aerosol
spray.

51. Sensodyne
toothpaste
Product by GalxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare India.
Earned profitable share through focused
positioning strategy in a market
dominated by Colgate-Palmolive
And HUL.
Identified the position gap for a
toothpaste appropriate for sensitive teeth., a
need more pronounced in adult
population.

52. Thank you for watching!!

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