Welcome to the third blog in our new brand series on realising the potential of your brand. In this series we’re going to take you through the mine field of unravelling the challenges of optimising your brand for business success. From uncovering your purpose, to developing the right positioning, finessing your identity and tone of voice to driving brand awareness in a crowded market.

Our latest blog focuses on brand positioning.

Why should I buy this one? Why is this one better? How do I know this is right for me? These are all questions that consumers and customers ask themselves when buying products or services in a very crowded marketplace. So, how do we answer their questions?

Brand positioning is defined as ‘the space that you own in your customers’ minds’. What does that mean exactly? Well, it goes beyond a logo or strapline – it’s a defined strategy that sets you apart from your competitors and gives you a space in your category you can own. This space is often referred to as White Space as no one else is competing in this area.

Let’s be clear though, this isn’t about products. If we were to manufacture chocolate bars and wanted to sell them at a premium price point, we would source premium ingredients that would meet our customers’ expectations, therefore creating a premium product positioning. At this level, your customers will have a relationship with the product first, and the brand second.

A brand’s position owns a much higher-level space in customers’ minds, it relates to shared values, beliefs or business objectives and practice – it connects emotively. Once you have defined your positioning, its core message should be communicated consistently across every channel of communication. This in turn strengthens the emotive connection with your target audience and appeals to them on a personal level, often resulting in the audience instinctively purchasing your product without even thinking about it.

So now, let us ask you which you prefer…

Each one of those products and services functionally offer you the same thing and let’s be honest, there is not a huge difference between them. BA or Virgin Atlantic will get you to your destination, Mercedes or BMW are both premium cars to drive and Coca-Cola or Pepsi will provide you with that sugar hit you need, with very similar tastes. So, what’s the difference? It’s the space they own in your mind, and the value of this space cannot be underestimated.

Owned by Unilever, Dove is ‘best in class’ for its brand positioning and has become one of their biggest brands globally, generating more that 1 billion euros per year in revenue. So, how did it get there?

The world of beauty and personal care is deemed to be superficial, full of stunning looking models with flawless skin. But this isn’t reality for most women and isn’t aspirational, it’s unrelatable. Dove position themselves as a brand for ‘real women’ with the beauty on the inside, not outside, that’s important. This enables women to develop a positive relationship with the way they look and helps raise their self-esteem. The brand launched a campaign that used real women, and this resonated with women around the world. It wasn’t about the quality of its soap and other products that it sells, it was its brand positioning that allowed it to connect with so many people and evolve into the valuable brand it is today.

However, it’s important to remember your positioning will never appeal to everyone because you are responding to a specific audience’s needs. Some people will always prefer Coca-Cola to Pepsi and vice versa, but what’s important is that those who believe in your brand become brand advocates. These advocates are loyal, will sing your praises and stick with you as long as you remain relevant to them.

You may be looking at your brand and its positioning may no longer be relevant. Alternatively you may be looking to launch a new brand and are not sure which space it should occupy. At Something Big, we have experience in positioning a number of different brands. If you would like some help, get in touch and we can have a chat about your specific challenges.