Brand Positioning Strategy in IMC
X
Category Need
What is it?
Who is it for?
Y
User
Z
Brand
What does it offer?
Brand Attitude
Benefit(s)
X Options in the X-YZ Macromodel of
Positioning Location
(X = product category; options for brand = central or
differentiated position within the product category)
Central Position
Differentiated position
1. Pioneer or market leader
3. All other brands
2. Me-too brand if product category 4. Including later meis such that attributes can be
too brands
objectively matched by follower,
with a large price savings
Hierarchical Categorical Structure
Beverages
Nonalcoholic
Soft drinks
Cola
Regular
Waters
Noncola
Diet
Alcoholic
Coffee
Milk
Fruit juice Tea
Other
YZ Options in the X-YZ Macromodel of
Positioning Location
(Y = target audience; Z = brand benefits; options for brand =
user-as-hero (Y) or product-as-hero (Z) positioning.)
User-as-hero (Y)
Product-as-hero (Z)
1. Target product with novice target 3. All other situations
audience
2. Social approval product (social
approval is the primary purchase
motivation)
Positioning in the I-D-U Mesomodel Based
on Purchase Motivations
(Decision Rule: Position the brand on the primary (strongest)
motive unless most brands are already positioned there; in
which case, go to the secondary (next strongest) motive)
Negatively originated (informational)
motivations
Positively originated
(transformational) motivations
1. Problem removal
2. Problem avoidance
3. Incomplete satisfaction
4. Mixed approach-avoidance
5. Normal depletion: omitted for
positioning
6. Sensory gratification
7. Intellectual stimulation or
mastery
8. Social approval
I-D-U Positioning Rule (Applied for the
High-Importance Benefits)



Emphasize the brand’s unique benefits
Mention its equal benefits
And trade off or omit its inferior benefits
Multiattribute Strategies for Brand
Attitude
Attitudeb =  (Bbi x Ei)
Qs: what strategy could we use to increase consumers’
attitude toward a brand?
The A-B-E Micromodel of Benefit Focus
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Attribute focus
Benefit focus from an attribute: a  b
Benefit focus: b
Benefit focus from an emotion: e-  b
Emotion focus from a benefit: b  e+
Pure emotion focus: e+
Conditions in the A-B-E Micromodel of
Benefit Focus
Attribute (A) focus
 Expert target audience
 Intangible service
 As an alternative to emotion focus for homogeneous-benefit brands
Benefit (B) focus
 Brand with hard-to-imitate benefit
 Negatively motivated (informational) brand: e-b
 “Logical” attack on entrenched emotional-based attitude: a b
Emotion (E) focus
 Brand with easy-to-imitate benefits
 Positively motivated (transformational) brand brand: b  e+ or e+
 “Emotional” attack on entrenched attribute- or benefit-based
attitude: e-b
Positioning Statement Format: “Long”
Version
1. To (the target audience, Y)/
2. _______ is the (central or differentiated) brand of
(category need, X)/
3. That offers (brand benefit or benefits, Z). The
advertising for this brand:
a. should emphasize (benefit or benefits, U, uniquely
delivered) with (a, b, or e) focus,
b. must mention (benefits or benefits, I, important
“entry tickets”)
c. and will omit or trade off (benefit or benefits, D -,
inferior-delivery benefits).