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In our Brand Positioning Statements 101, we introduced the subject of Brand Positioning Statements as an important brand positioning guideline (or "platform"). We described them as brief, four-part descriptions of a brand's "essence" relative to target, competitive set, demand and delivery (unique selling proposition)
Today's dispatch addresses the first component of this platform: Targeting.
The Brand Positioning Statement begins by describing the preferred target audience. Without targeting, a brand wanders; sales and marketing efforts wander.
A preferred target is the optimum or ideal target. The group of people that the brand is most suited for; that would most likely choose and remain loyal to the brand.
When the brand interacts with the preferred target group, it is interacting at its greatest possible efficiency for both brand and target alike.
A preferred target is a "perfect world" target -- the way you would want it, from the brand's point of view, if the world could be populated with only one type of target.
Although the world is not perfect and a brand cannot expect to address a world populated only preferred targets, it can target as such.
For instance, if it can be said that Gatorade's optimum target is "serious-minded, sweaty male athletes," it must also be acknowledged that this group, in reality, represents only a small portion of Gatorade's customers. Most of Gatorade's customers are everyday people who have decided that if Gatorade satisfies the serious, sweaty male athletes, it'll be more than adequate for their needs as well. This approach to targeting has a "build it and they will come" component.
Another example might be the Harley-Davidson brand. People don't buy Harleys to be biker renegades, they buy Harleys to feel like biker renegades. After work and on weekends. Real biker renegades can't afford a new Harley these days.
To Be Continued
BRANDLAND CHALLENGE:
Tune in next time for Notes From BrandLand: The Brand Positioning Statement/Targeting-Part Two
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