Brand Repositioning and Types of Brand Repositioning Brand Repositioning is changing the positioning of a brand. A particular positioning statement may not work with a brand. For instance, Dettol toilet soap was positioned as a beauty soap initially. This was not in line with its core values. Dettol, the parent brand (anti-septic liquid) was known for its ability to heal cuts and gashes. The extension’s ‘beauty’ positioning was not in tune with the parent’s “germ-kill” positioning. The soap, therefore, had to be repositioned as a “germ-kill” soap (“bath for grimy occasions”) and it fared extremely well after repositioning.
Here, the soap had to be repositioned for image mismatch. There are several other reasons for repositioning. Often falling or stagnant sales is responsible for repositioning exercises. After examining the repositioning of several brands from the Indian market, the following 9 types of repositioning have been identified. These are: 1. Increasing relevance to the consumer 2. Increasing occasions for use 3. Making the brand serious 4. Falling sales 5. Bringing in new customers 6. Making the brand contemporary 7. Differentiate from other brands 8. Changed market conditions. It is not always that these nine categories are mutually exclusive.
Often one reason leads to the other and a brand is repositioned sometimes for a multiplicity of reasons. Lipton Yellow Label Tea: Lipton Yellow Label Tea was initially positioned as delicious, sophisticated and premium tea for the global citizen. The advertisements also echoed this theme. For instance, all the props and participants in the advertisements were foreign. It is possible that this approach did not find favour with the customers. The repositioning specifically addressed the Indian consumer through an Indian idiom. Maharaja – the positioning: Dishwasher in its initial Stages was possibly seen as an exotic product.
Thus, Maharaja positioned it as a product aimed at the upper crust. Thus, the positioning statement was “your guests get Swiss cheese, Italian Pizza …… you get stained glassware. ” But Indians are reluctant to use dishwashers because of deeply embedded cultural reasons. Thus, the message had to be changed to appeal to the Indian housewife. Thus the positioning was changed to “Bye, Bye Kanta Bai” indicating that the dishwasher signaled the end of the servant maid’s tyranny. The brand, therefore, was repositioned from a sophisticated, aristocratic product to one that is functional and relevant to the Indian housewife.
Visa Card – the Positioning: Visa Card had to change its positioning to make itself relevant to customers under changed circumstances. Initially it asked the customer to “pay the way the world does” (1981). This is to give its card an aura of global reach. But as more and more cards were launched on the same theme, to put itself in a different league, it positioned itself as the “world’s most preferred card” (1993). To highlight the services it provided, it shifted to the platform of “Visa Power” (1995). This focus on explaining the range of services available with the card continues till date (Visa Power, go get it). pic][pic]Effectiveness of brand repositioning S. Ramesh Kumar |If a brand does not reposition at the right time, it may not get a second chance. | [pic] La-ira-ela … what appeared to be a typical remix from Channel V turned out to be advertising repositioning the soap brand Liril. The commonality which the latest advertisement has with Liril’s launch advertisement that appeared in the mid-Seventies is its permissiveness: what is perhaps important to the current one is whether it can recreate the “magic of lemony indulgence” ushered in by the launch advertisement, along with its permissiveness.
Close-up’s lemony variant is attempting the nostalgic route to repositioning itself. The brand has been attempting several repositioning strategies in the recent past. Cadbury successfully repositioned its mould (milk chocolate) variant during the mid-Nineties, even managing to change the target segment for the variant — a very difficult task for marketers operating in any kind of market. The body of knowledge concerning brand repositioning is unfortunately not vast but the concept is receiving increasing attention with the proliferation of product categories and brands.
With brand equity being the driving force behind brands, the ones which are strongly established either in terms of consumer preferences or in terms of recall are under pressure to create a roadmap which will lead to effective repositioning. Why brand repositioning? Brand repositioning is required because of several reasons: • When new offerings flood the market, the superiority of the established brand has to be re-emphasised • The established brands may not be able to offer either the same features or the variants that are being offered by the new brands (Ambassador and Robin Blue).
Hence, there is a need for them to reposition themselves in a timely manner, relying more on the consumer goodwill they enjoy or by exploring ways to appeal to the consumers • When a contemporary image is required in some categories because of changing psychographics • When brands desire to change their target segment (rarely) • When brands want to communicate improved offerings • When motivation to buy products in the category is low Timely repositioning Contemporary perception could involve either the image or superior functional utility.
Iodex was almost the unassailable leader for several years in the pain balm market but was forced to reposition itself by Moov, which made rapid strides. Dove is repositioning itself as a superior soap with moisturisers (as against its previous `trial for results’ positioning). Vim Challenge was a response to several regional brands emerging in the dishwash market. Esteem’s “Shall we go for a drive, please? ” campaign (where the son hopes his dad’s pleasure at the ride in the car will overshadow his poor marks) was triggered by the various offerings which entered the mid-segment passenger car market.
If repositioning is not attempted by a brand in a timely manner, the brand may not get a second chance. The powerful positioning of economy by the no-frills Maruti 800 during the mid-Eighties could have been pre-empted by Ambassador, not necessarily by the same economy proposition: Ambassador even today is widely acknowledged as a comfortable car for Indian roads and is also known for its space. Some of the recent offerings in the passenger car market today use this as a strong proposition.
The brand could have used this effectively to create a favourable perception of itself. Maruti 800 became almost a legend as much known for derailing Fiat and Ambassador as it is for its fuel economy. Even in fast moving consumer goods involving mundane household products, timely repositioning matters. The Ujala brand of blue used to whiten clothes made history with its liquid variant. The pioneering (and the brand which held the dominance for years) Robin Blue had a powder variant before Ujala was introduced.
Powerfully repositioning Robin Blue (even before introducing the liquid variant as a follower) might have reduced the impact of the new entrant because of the favour and trust Robin Blue enjoyed with consumers. Burnol, the antiseptic cream for burns (it did attempt some sporadic repositioning exercises) no longer seems to occupy the same space in the consumer’s mind. Women continue to cook as before and probably mostly in a hurry to catch up with the pressures of life. Burnol being a handy brand to overcome the inevitable small burns could have been a probable proposition to reposition it. With several categories jostling for consumer indspace, there is a relevant proposition required for a brand in the `small burns category’ to get into the considerations set of consumers. The timing of repositioning (in such cases) should be worked out to ensure that the category does not fade from the consumer’s mind because of a number of other categories emerging to create generic competition in terms of the share of consumer’s wallet. For example, a brand traditionally used for burns may be forgotten because of several categories of products and offerings like a cream for heels, herbal antiseptic ones for multiple injuries and corn caps.
Forhans toothpaste, Zambac and Saibal multipurpose antiseptic ointments, Eno’s for acidity relief, Waterbury’s Compound for `after-cough’ recovery and Crook’s Lactocalamine lotion are some of the brands of yesteryear which could have maintained their dominance of the consumer’s memory with appropriate repositioning strategies. Contemporary image This matters in some categories which are conspicuous in terms of consumers’ usage and observation. With changing lifestyles and nuclear families in urban markets (especially in the upmarket segments), the role of the male in the family is undergoing a change.
The `relationship’ repositioning of Raymond is a good example of a brand coming to grips with the changing psychographics of the target segment. Fair and Lovely’s repositioning as a brand for the aspiring girl making a mark in a male-dominated world (woven around the cricket commentator commercial) too is one such example. Pepsodent’s commercial in which the mother scolds her child for snacking and establishes the brand as a protector of teeth is associated with traditional habits which have been highlighted to create a realistic association between the brand and the target segment.
Product/brand attribute relevance to the habit of the user (children) and the buyer of the category (concerned mother) has been used to reposition the brand. Lifebuoy’s repositioning on health based on hygiene is an attempt to take into consideration the priorities consumers place on heath in a deteriorating environment — one of the issues raised frequently by mass media and consumer groups. Changing the target segment It is difficult for an established brand to change its target segment vernight because of the prolonged associations and perceptions related to imagery and price. However, there have been rare instances of a brand repositioning itself for a new target segment. Cadbury, in an effort to make chocolates appeal to adults, created the repositioning around `spontaneous joy’ (the girl’s dance in the cricket field) and since then the mould version of its offering continues to be positioned for adults. With the company offering different offerings for different segments, the strategy for the mould version synergises with the overall strategy of the brand.
Timex, which was targeting the lower-end watch market when it entered India, has introduced expensive watches with high technology at the higher end of the market. Technology, with its rub-off on the product’s attributes, could be a powerful factor in moving a brand from lower to higher segments. Changing the target segment for an established brand is a delicate marketing exercise and several aspects of marketing mix elements are involved. These are important from the viewpoint of consumer perception.
Bata, during the Nineties started dealing with designer brands: it had developed the Power brand for youth and a number of offerings for middle-class consumers. In the recent times, it has segmented its retail outlets into discount outlets and higher-end ones. In such a situation, it may be difficult for the brand to reposition itself with a clear association. Communicating the newness can be seen in the `new, `improved’ versions of old established brands. The point that is important in such a positioning is that consumers should be able to relate to the improved claims made by the brand.
If Rin is repositioned to provide extra whiteness, the attribute should be recognised by consumers. Decisions concerning repositioning A brand need not always rely on repositioning: the decisions are related to the strength of the company, competitive context and consumer perception. A brand could create several sub-brands over a period of time in tune with the changes in the environment. Hero Honda, after the success of its CD 100 almost two decades ago, continues to hold sway over the market by creating several sub-brands each distinctive from the other. It created SS, Passion and Splendor with differing appeals.
Sometimes, a premium offering needs to be repositioned when consumers become more receptive to the brand over a period of time. Colgate Total, one such offering, was initially positioned on multiple benefits but later, the same benefits were positioned with the `12-hour protection’ proposition. Brand positioning and repositioning deals with the mind of consumer. Brand repositioning is more complex as it has to take into account the perception already created in the consumers’ minds. (The writer is Professor of Marketing, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. )
Positioning of Titan Tanishq—What went wrong The brand was positioned to appeal to the top 1% of the urban Indian population. Designs were western, showrooms very glamorous and advertising too sophisticated. The product offer was perceived as too elitist. Naturally, this positioning failed to generate the expected sales volume. Titan went to the market with 18 carat jewellery. The norm for jewellery in India is 22 carat; 18 carat stuff could not be effectively positioned as jewellery. And the fact the brand was positioned for the rich elitist segment aggravated the mismatch.
Why should this segment after all buy 18 carat jewellery? Obviously, there was confusion about the value proposition and the product attributes, as well as target market and marketing communications. The advertising and the marketing channel took the positioning to an unintended target. Titan had to totally rework its strategy for the jewellery business. Titan admitted, a€? In India the entry card for wider appeal in Jewellery is 22 carat gold, not 18 carat. a€™ Titan changed the major product attributes. It introduced a new collection in 22 carat jewellery. The design was also made more Indian.
Titan also changed its advertising and channel strategy to make Tanishq less elitist. The aim was to make it appeal to a wider clientele, including the upper middle class. The jewellery business now contributes 20% of Titan Companya€™s turnover with this repositioning. more at http://www. citeman. com/1118-examples-of-repositioning-and-positioning/#ixzz1aOo9Hb56 Brand Positioning Strategies A product can be positioned based on 2 main platforms: The Consumer and The Competitor. When the positioning is on the basis of CONSUMER, the campaigns and messages are always targeted to the consumer himself (the user of the product)
Peter England always campaigns their product concentrating on the consumer, the user of its product. Louis Philip also concentrates on this kind of campaigns. The other kind of positioning is on basis of COMPETITION. These campaigns are targeted towards competing with other players in the market. Dettol television commercials always concentrate on advertisements, which show that this product would give you more protection, then the others. A number of positioning strategies might be employed in developing a promotional program. The 7 such strategies are discussed below: POSITIONING BY PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES AND BENEFITS
Associating a product with an attribute, a product feature or a consumer feature. Sometimes a product can be positioned in terms of two or more attributes simultaneously. The price/ quality attribute dimension is commonly used for positioning the products. A common approach is setting the brand apart from competitors on the basis of the specific characteristics or benefits offered. Sometimes a product may be positioned on more than one product benefit. Marketers attempt to identify salient attributes (those that are important to consumers and are the basis for making a purchase decision) Consider the example of Ariel that offers a specific benefit of cleaning even the dirtiest of clothes because of the micro cleaning system in the product. • Colgate offers benefits of preventing cavity and fresh breath. • Promise, Balsara’s toothpaste, could break Colgate’s stronghold by being the first to claim that it contained clove, which differentiated it from the leader. • Nirma offered the benefit of low price over Hindustan Lever’s Surf to become a success. • Maruti Suzuki offers benefits of maximum fuel efficiency and safety over its competitors.
This strategy helped it to get 60% of the Indian automobile market. POSITIONING BY PRICE/ QUALITY Marketers often use price/ quality characteristics to position their brands. One way they do it is with ads that reflect the image of a high-quality brand where cost, while not irrelevant, is considered secondary to the quality benefits derived from using the brand. Premium brands positioned at the high end of the market use this approach to positioning. Another way to use price/ quality characteristics for positioning is to focus on the quality or value offered by the brand at a very competitive price.
Although price is an important consideration, the product quality must be comparable to, or even better than, competing brands for the positioning strategy to be effective. Parle Bisleri – “Bada Bisleri, same price” ad campaign. POSITIONING BY USE OR APPLICATION Another way is to communicate a specific image or position for a brand is to associate it with a specific use or application. Surf Excel is positioned as stain remover ‘ Surf Excel hena! ’ Also, Clinic All Clear – “Dare to wear Black”. POSITIONING BY PRODUCT CLASS Often the competition for a particular product comes from outside the product class.
For example, airlines know that while they compete with other airlines, trains and buses are also viable alternatives. Manufacturers of music CDs must compete with the cassettes industry. The product is positioned against others that, while not exactly the same, provide the same class of benefits. POSITIONING BY PRODUCT USER Positioning a product by associating it with a particular user or group of users is yet another approach. Motography Motorola Mobile Ad. n this ad the persona of the user of the product is been positioned. POSITIONING BY COMPETITOR
Competitors may be as important to positioning strategy as a firm’s own product or services. In today’s market, an effective positioning strategy for a product or brand may focus on specific competitors. This approach is similar to positioning by product class, although in this case the competition is within the same product category. Onida was positioned against the giants in the television industry through this strategy, ONIDA colour TV was launched with the message that all others were clones and only Onida was the leader. “neighbour’s Envy, Owners Pride”. POSITIONING BY CULTURAL SYMBOLS
An additional positioning strategy where in the cultural symbols are used to differentiate the brands. Examples would be Humara Bajaj, Tata Tea, Ronald McDonald. Each of these symbols has successfully differentiated the product it represents from competitors. Tags: Articles | Brand | Brand Positioning | Branding | Strategies IMPORTANT WEBSITE http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=lIq_8MUPz5w WATCH IT.. Also watch http://www. authorstream. com/Presentation/stylishvineets-363634-brand-positioning-education-ppt-powerpoint/ only for taking points and NOT copying from it.
