Marketing Strategy
Positioning the Product
Management's ability to bring attention to a product and to differentiate it in a favorable way
from similar products goes a long way toward determining that product's revenues.Thus
management needs to engage in positioning,which means developing the image that a product
projects in relation to competitive products and to the firm's other products.
Marketing executives can choose from a variety of positioning strategies.Sometimes they
decide to use more than one for a particular product.Here are several major positioning strategies:
1.Positioning in Relation to a competitor
For some products,the best position is directly against the competition.This strategy is
especially suitable for a firm that already has a solid differential advantage or is trying to solidify
such an advantage.To fend off rival markers of microprocessors,Intel Corp.launched a campaign
to convince buyers that its product is superior to competitors.The company even paid computer
makers to include the slogan,"Intel Inside" in their ads.As the market leader,Coca-Cola introduces
new products and executes its marketing strategies.At the same time,it keeps an eye on Pepsi-
Cola,being sure to match any clever,effective marketing moves made by its primary competitor.
2.Positioning in Relation to a Product Class or Attribute
Sometimes a company's positioning strategy entails associating its product with(or distancing
it from)a product class or attributes.Some companies try to place their products in a desirable
class,such as"Made in the USA."In the words of one consultant,"There is a strong emotional
appeal when you say,'Made in the USA'".Thus a small sportswear manufacturer,Boston
Preparatory Co.is using this positioning strategy to seek an edge over large competitors such as
Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger,which don't produce all of their products in the U.S..
3.Positioning by Price and Quality
Certain producer and retailers are known for their high-quality products and high prices.In
the retailing field,Sake Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus are positioned at one end of the price-
quality continuum.Discount stores such as Target and Kmart are at the other.We're not
saying,however,that discounters ignore quality;rather, they stress low prices.Penney's tired
—and
for the most part succeeded in
—repositioning its stores on the price-quality continuum by
upgrading apparel lines and stressing designer names.
The word brands is comprehensive;it encompasses other narrower terms.A brand is a name
and/or mark intended to identify the product of one seller or group of sellers and differentiate the
product from competing products.
A brand name consists of words,letters,and/or numbers that can be vocalized.A brand mark is
the part of the brand that appears in the form of a symbol, design,or distinctive color or lettering.A
brand mark is recognized buy sight bu cannot be expressed when a person pronounces the brand
name.Crest,Coors,and rider for Ralph Lauren's Polo Brand.Green Giant(canned and frozen
vegetable products)and Arm&Hammer(baking soda)are both brand names and brand marks.
A trademark is a brand that has been adopted by a seller and given legal protection.A
trademark includes not just the brand mark,as many people believe,but also the brand name.The
Lanham Act of 1946 permits firms to register trademarks with the federal government to protect
them from use or misuse by other companies.The Trademark Law Revision Act,which took effect
in 1989,is tended to strengthen the the registration system to the benefit of U.S. Firms