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You Sell a Product But Market a Brand

As marketing students the words we never forget whenever we make presentations are "brand","positioning","mind space". Etc.we have different opinions and definitions for "brand","branding","and positioning". Sometimes when i read books i really don't know what exactly they mean to us. How is it going to help us as marketing managers? The whole article is my personal interpretation about brand and positioning.

How does a product differ from a brand?

I personally feel that a product is one, which only concentrates on its functional attribute. What i really mean is that if i am a pen manufacturer i concentrate only on writing? So as a product seller i am keen in selling my product as a writing instrument. What difference i have to give or try to give if i want to market my brand instead of a product.

Here comes the role of STP (Segmenting, Targeting, Positioning) concepts, the idea of perceptual mapping, etc.to put it more clear the function doesn't change to different customer segments. Writing Is Writing. But the experience they want to get out of writing varies among different consumer groups.

For example children wants to have fun while writing so the pen have pictures of cartoons on it. A corporate executive may need highly formal look so it has to be professional in aesthetics. This is just from look or external appearance of the product. If you consider various aspects life, performance then each and every aspect varies according to target segment.

So a brand is a collection of attributes, which you think suitable for your target segment and try to add to your product and market it.

How many of us say come lets have breakfast or snacks rather than saying come let’s have maggi? I would say a brand has achieved an unperturbed space in target customers mind at least for short period if its name has replaced the function the brand offers. “Xerox” is epitome on this aspect.

Okay you have identified your target segment and the attributes you want to offer to them. How is that you are going to communicate to them strongly?

Positioning will answer to this question and I will discuss on this in next article.

Prabhu.s
KIAMS.
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