Design Research Methods
Class #3: Positioning

Positioning
“Positioning starts with a product. A piece of merchandise, a
service, a company, an institution, or even a person. Perhaps
yourself.
But, positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is
what you do to the mind of the prospect.”

Why Do We Need Positioning
 Over communicated society
 People’s minds are simple
 Positioning
allows you to be seen and heard in a
complicated world

Goal of Positioning Research
 Find holes in the marketplace
 The basic approach is NOT to create something new and
different, but anchor (or manipulate) what people already
think and know, and “retie to connections that already
exist.”
 Have to understand what already exists
 Strengthen it
 Redefining results in more failures than successes
 The solution to a positioning problem is usually found in the
prospect’s mind, not in the product or solution.

Examples of Positioning
 Easiest way to get into the prospect’s mind is to be first.

WHICH COMPANY INVENTED THE COMPUTER?

Examples of Positioning
 …Or different
 Find tylenol..for the millions who should not take aspirin
 Stoli—made in Russia
 Volkswagen: think small
 Stowe:Ski capital of the East. One of the top 10 ski
resorts in the world.

How to be Different
 Before,
it was about identifying the Unique Selling
Proposition (USP)
 Now, not many products and services are unique.
 Now strategy is king. Advertising and Design are focused
on getting into the mind of the prospect.

Positioning Research
 “Mapping the Prospect’s Mind”
 Understand current position
 Identify gaps in marketplace
 Identify opportunities for refining or changing positioning

Positioning Research: Techniques
 Interviews
 What defines a luxury car?
 Write down all the luxury car brands you can think of.
 Circle the top three.
 What are the first three words that come to mind when
you hear “Ferrari?”
 Who buys a Ferrari? Describe them?
 Who is Ferrari’s competition? Why?
 Describe what it feels like to drive a Ferrari? Own a
Ferrari? Sell your Ferrari?

Positioning Research: Techniques
 People to interview
 client management
 field sales
 product development
 customer service staff
 sales
 client
customers
 competitor-loyal customers.

Positioning Research: Techniques
 Observations: Who comes into a Ferrari dealership?
 Review
the data:
 Where are the Ferrari sponsorships?
 Where are the Ferrari dealerships?
 What do Ferrari owners do for a living?
 How long do people keep their Ferrari’s?
 How many people buy another Ferrari?

Positioning Research: Techniques
 Surveys & Quantitative Tools
 Rate each of these car companies on a scale of 1-10
for the following attributes
 (also called semantic differential)
Porche Ferrari Lexus Mercedes Maserati Bentley Audi
Fast 9 10 5 7 8 7 7
Worth $ 2 1 10 8 3 2 8
Cool 10 10 2 8 10 8 9
Sporty 10 10 1 5 8 2 8
Luxurious 3 2 7 9 10 10 5
Safe 2 2 10 10 5 8 8
Prestigous 10 10 5 10 9 10 5
Waste of $ 10 10 10 6 10 10 6
Elite 10 10 10 7 10 10 8
Snobby 7 7 7 7 10 10 7
Reliable 6 6 10 10 5 8 5

Positioning Research: Analysis
 Identify the trends and differences
Porcshe Ferrari Lexus Mercedes Maserati Bentley Audi
Fast 9 10 5 7 8 7 7
Worth $ 2 1 10 8 3 2 8
Cool 10 10 2 8 10 8 9
Sporty 10 10 1 5 8 2 8
Luxurious 3 2 7 9 10 10 5
Safe 2 2 10 10 5 8 8
Prestigous 10 10 5 10 9 10 5
Waste of $ 10 10 10 6 10 10 6
Elite 10 10 10 7 10 10 8
Snobby 7 7 7 7 10 10 7
Reliable 6 6 10 10 5 8 5

Positioning Research: Analysis
Fast
10 Ferrari
Porsche
8 Maserati
Mercedes Bentley Audi
6
Lexus
Worth the Money
4
2
0
0 2 4 6 8 10

Positioning Research: Analysis
The purpose here is to refine hypotheses about how
customers see and define the marketplace.

Positioning Research
Helps firms to answer such questions as:
 Based on customer perceptions, which target segments are
the most attractive?
 How should we position our new products with respect to our
existing products?
 How do our customers view our brand?
 What product name is closely associated with the attributes
that our target segment perceives as desirable?
 Which brands do our target segments see as our closest
competitors?
 What product attributes are responsible for the perceived
differences between products?
 How would changes in a product's perceived attributes alter
the product's market share?

Assignment 3
 Pick one of your everyday things.
 Recommendation and pitch/presentation for improving the
positioning of that “everyday things”