MBA Distance Education Learning/ Brand Positioning

Q: Explain the basic meaning of Positioning Brand?

Ans: Positioning Brand can be understood as the consumers’ perception concerning the place a product or brand occupies in the given market.

Like an Indian customer may see Reid & Tailor an expensive and stylish brand.

People feel Voltas is an Indian air conditioner.

Sony gadgets are considered as costly but the quality products.

The positioning answers the following questions:

* What place does the product occupy in its market?

* What is the competitive status of the product or the brand in various evaluative dimensions?

* What are the consumer’s attitudes the cognitive, effective, and action tendency?

Product image can also be understood as positioning.

Q: What are the considerations required in Positioning Strategy?

Ans: A brand manager has to consider the given points while positioning brand.

1. Market Segment: In situations of heterogeneous nature of market, the different consumer group demands different quality and features in the same generic product. Like The High income group want for cell phone with latest features though costly whereas others may ask for an ordinary phone.
2. Product Line: the positioning of the product should be in congruence with the product line it belongs. So that target market can easily accept brand due to its brand equity.
3. Benefits. & Problem solution: The core value of the brand should be the core product which reflects in the quality of the product.
4. Use category: while positioning product due consideration should be given to the target market is being offered to. Like Pepsi’s Generation Next positions the brand for the young consumers.
5. Positioning against another brand: Like The positioning of Coca Cola and Pepsi is very much competitive.
6. Product Class Dissociation: Not practiced much but the way 7-UP positioned itself as Un-Cola also works for the brands.

Q:What are the Tools for positioning Decision Making?

Ans: The available methods for positioning decisions are:

1. Attribute Rating Method: Under this method the group of consumers is asked to rank the brands for their given attributes. Like The brand of pens are Reynolds, Luxor Pilot, Hero ink pen, Cello and attributes are Smoothness in writing, No leakage, Grip, Easy to refill, Clip for holding.
2. Multidimensional Scaling Method : the Brand are positioned based oh their relative attributes like if two brands of pen are costly the they will be placed near to each other in the graphical perceptual maps. It has following benefits;

1. Relative strength and weaknesses of the brands can be evaluated.

1. The similar set of brands can be seen and perceived.

1. Space may be used to locate the preferred position, identify opportunities for new products or brands.

1. Overall similarity based Method:

in this method following steps are used;

1. To identify the product/brand alternative of interest for evaluation.
2. The brands perceived similar and closer are paired in the possible combinations based on perceptual maps.

Q: Explain the basic meaning of Positioning Brand?

Ans: Positioning Brand can be understood as the consumers’ perception concerning the place a product or brand occupies in the given market.

Like an Indian customer may see Reid & Tailor an expensive and stylish brand.

People feel Voltas is an Indian air conditioner.

Sony gadgets are considered as costly but the quality products.

The positioning answers the following questions:

* What place does the product occupy in its market?

* What is the competitive status of the product or the brand in various evaluative dimensions?

* What are the consumer’s attitudes the cognitive, effective, and action tendency?

Product image can also be understood as positioning.

Q: What are the considerations required in Positioning Strategy?

Ans: A brand manager has to consider the given points while positioning brand.

1. Market Segment: In situations of heterogeneous nature of market, the different consumer group demands different quality and features in the same generic product. Like The High income group want for cell phone with latest features though costly whereas others may ask for an ordinary phone.
2. Product Line: the positioning of the product should be in congruence with the product line it belongs. So that target market can easily accept brand due to its brand equity.
3. Benefits. & Problem solution: The core value of the brand should be the core product which reflects in the quality of the product.
4. Use category: while positioning product due consideration should be given to the target market is being offered to. Like Pepsi’s Generation Next positions the brand for the young consumers.
5. Positioning against another brand: Like The positioning of Coca Cola and Pepsi is very much competitive.
6. Product Class Dissociation: Not practiced much but the way 7-UP positioned itself as Un-Cola also works for the brands.

Q:What are the Tools for positioning Decision Making?

Ans: The available methods for positioning decisions are:

1. Attribute Rating Method: Under this method the group of consumers is asked to rank the brands for their given attributes. Like The brand of pens are Reynolds, Luxor Pilot, Hero ink pen, Cello and attributes are Smoothness in writing, No leakage, Grip, Easy to refill, Clip for holding.
2. Multidimensional Scaling Method : the Brand are positioned based oh their relative attributes like if two brands of pen are costly the they will be placed near to each other in the graphical perceptual maps. It has following benefits;

1. Relative strength and weaknesses of the brands can be evaluated.

1. The similar set of brands can be seen and perceived.

1. Space may be used to locate the preferred position, identify opportunities for new products or brands.

1. Overall similarity based Method:

in this method following steps are used;

1. To identify the product/brand alternative of interest for evaluation.
2. The brands perceived similar and closer are paired in the possible combinations based on perceptual maps.

Q: Explain the Positioning of a Leader?

Ans: the Leader brands like Microsoft, Ford, Hindustan Times , Coca Cola have positioned themselves with the following ingredients:

1. Firstest with the Mostest: Among the best brands a brand turns to be the leader brand in the given category. The brand becomes the first to come to prospects mind. They not only the first but the first strong position in the mind. Usually he prepares to tell others, How it is first.
2. Maintain Leadership: this emphasizes on maintaining leadership through campaigns. Like “I am Phillips.i am Tomorrow”., “ every body Knows who Gave The world the X-Ray, Right?
3. Maintain the Brand Image: the leaders should continue the brand image so that people should not get confused with the change in the brand image.

4. Strength of the market share: The leader has to maintain its market share and positioning should be such that it should not lose its market share to other competitive brands.

Q: Discuss the Positioning for the follower brands?

Ans: if you are follower than instead of copying leader cover the uncovered market by developing new products for the uncovered market and correctly positioning them.

Size: the follower should find a niche for itself like Amul chocolates have identified the opportunity of launching a small bar of chocolates and positioned it with advertisement “ Eat Small”, “ Amul Milk Chocolates in Mini Packs”

High Price: Consumers also think that the high the price of the product is because of quality of the product. “Drinking Less? ---Then drink Better?”

Age: if the leader focuses on the distinct age then you have to focus on other age group like Farex is for infants then follower can focus on old people or convalescing patients.

Focus on new geographical market. Like regional and international market.s