Marketing Strategy from the Masters (Collection)

51. Product Differentiation

The most effective brands are those that have a high degree of differentiation. Some product categories can be highly differentiated and others, especially commodity consumer products, are more difficult to differentiate. The next time you are in a grocery store, just take a look down the laundry detergent aisle or browse the dozens of toothpaste brands and observe how the vast array of choices can be so confusing.

That said, remember that a brand is created through differentiation and there are lots of ways you can do this creatively. Products can be differentiated based on size, form, performance, features, durability, reliability, ease of repair, design, and style.¹ Arizona Iced Tea was one of the first beverage ...