Ever wondered why certain brands feels instantly familiar with us, while other disappear from our memory as quickly we saw them? Brands who stay constantly on people mind have the power of brand positioning it is a strategy that decides how a brand lives in the minds of consumer.
In today’s fast paced world, where every supermarket, online and social media feed is overflowed with choices, a brand cannot survive only through simply existing, it needs a identity in the market. It needs consumer voice. Most importantly, the brand needs a place in consumer’s mind. And this place is created by Brand Positioning.Brand positioning is basically the impression the brand leaves behind after every interaction. When any consumer sees the brand logo, hears the brand name, and try the product. What do they exactly feel about the product? What do they expect. As this expectation the brand image does not form by accident. It is shaped through brand’s message, promise, and overall experience of the brand.The most fascinating thing about positioning is that it is not just about being different. It is about being meaningfully different. A brand may offer same product as like its competitors, but how a brand can tell its story can change the whole perception towards the brand. For example Appledoes not just sell gadgets, they sell innovation and simplicity. Apart from these Starbucks also does not sell coffee, it sells the idea of being comfortable an engage with community. All these examples have their own unique identity in the market but their positioning is what truly sets them apart.
Positioning has the power that influences how consumers connect emotionally with the brand. People tend to not fall in love with a brand because of technical features. They connect with a personality, a belief and most importantly emotion. When a brand entered this emotional space, it becomes more than a brand and it also becomes a integral part of someone’s lifestyle.A very great example of this is Haldiram’s. Haldiram’s typically does not need loud advertising or celebrity endorsements to stay relevant in the market. They positioned themselves in the market with trust,familiarity, and the authentic taste of India, whenever people decide to buy any sweet, they always prefer to buy from Haldiram’s. They know they are not just buying food, they are buying comfort and a real taste of India, and a sense of Home. Haldiram’sdid not gain this emotional bond overnight. It was built with trust consistently over decades, as it stayed true to it is core promise and quality.
Positioning only thrives when it has a consistency. A brand cannot claim to be premium one day and then bargain friendly the next. These changes can be quickly notice by consumers. Brand having consistent message, the stronger the memory it builds. And when a brand becomes a memory something consumer recall instantly, that is where the brand officially won the battle of positioning.
At the end, brand positioning is art of storytelling with purpose. It can shape how the world sees you and why people should care about the brand. Marketplace is filled with lots of noise, positioning becomes the bridge that helps a brand stand out, stay relevant. And build long lasting relationships with consumers.
Author:
Mr. Himanshu Ingulkar
Co-Author: Dr. Gaurav Petkar