Positioning
The Art of Marketing
The definition of marketing will vary depending on the professor, depending on the age of the marketer, and even depending on the book you read. However the bottom line is marketing is the “positioning” of a product, name and or service in the mind of the consumer. It’s all about positioning.
Some may ask well what is positioning? And why when it comes to marketing is it so crucial? Well my friend I’m glad you asked. You see, marketing is somewhat of a science. Its objective is to get the consumer to buy into a company’s product or service. The only way to do that effectively is to “position” that product or service in the minds of their consumer. By doing this consumers will relate a word, phrase, or item with that brand’s product or service. For example, when individuals talk about safety and cars, Volvo has positioned themselves in the consumer’s mind as the safest car on the road. With its engineering, advertisements, and third party testimonials, Volvo is safe. Another example that comes to mind is , when you think of athletic wear who do you think of? NIKE! Nike as positioned itself in our minds as the number one choice for athletic wear. Don’t forget there are Reebook, Addiads, New Balance and other brands that produce the same type of clothing and accessories as Nike, however none of them have positioned themselves in the minds of the consumer as Nike has.
How do you position yourself you ask? Well first you must have what marketing expert, Al Reis calls a Visual Hammer. A visual hammer is a logo or a symbol that stands out and when seen, it automatically resonates with your brand. For example the swish in the athletic realm automatically says Nike. The half bitten apple automatically symbolizes Apple. The cowboy riding a horse says Marlboro cigarettes. These are powerful visual hammers brands to place in the consumer’s mind reminding them of their brand. Secondly it will be the word that agrees with the visual hammer. Mercedes’ is “prestige”. The word prestige goes along with the silver sleek three legged star. Owning words in marketing is just as crucial as creating a visual hammer. Today brands don’t own words or images anymore. It has become just a free fall. Which is why you see some much flux in leading companies across the business atmosphere. When it comes to positioning, the word and the visual will go hand in hand. By positioning these two ideas into the consumer’s mind, a brand can begin to surpass its competition. The actual product or service being better, cheaper, and or of better quality does not create for a successful brand. There are plenty of products and services that are “better” for the consumer yet their positioning is not effective.
Positioning is “placing” a visual and word within the consumer’s mind to remind them of your brand’s message. Marketers tend to forget this crucial facet in marketing by just focusing on a creative logo or a slick catchy slogan. With a crowded market place like today, consumers see creative logos and catchy slogans all day every day. But none of them stand out enough to be remembered. The most successful brands understand simplicity is key when it comes to logos (visual hammers) and effective wording is key when coming to owning words. Position your brand to be recognized by its word and image. It’s the science of marketing.
