Kellogg on Marketing, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 10Crafting a Positioning Strategy: Capturing the Customer Mindshare

Kevin McTigue

Since the early 1980s, when Al Ries and Jack Trout popularized the concept,^1,2 marketers have applied innumerable frameworks to crack the positioning code for their brand and “own” a valuable space in consumers’ minds—a singular benefit most strongly associated with their brand, distinct compared to competitive offerings and important to customers. Volvo could own “safest,” Coca‐Cola “most refreshing,” Apple “most creative.” This positioning strategy was first designed to act as the basis for firms’ advertising campaigns in which they reinforced this unique benefit and strengthened customers’ associations. The concept of positioning was extended further to guide a brand's entire offering strategy across pricing, distribution, product features, service levels, branding, innovation, and even incentives.

But is this idea still relevant in today's marketing world? Brands have never produced more content across more channels than they do today. So how do we manage the purity of the single‐minded positioning and the practical need to create massive amounts of different, compelling content? We also see many brands moving to “purpose‐driven” communication in which they seek to move past product‐oriented benefits and associate themselves with higher‐order human benefits or charitable causes. Across B2C, even B2B, and on both sides of the political spectrum we can find examples. And now with artificial‐intelligence‐driven ...