This is Part Three in a series about Brand Positioning Statements as an important brand positioning guideline (or “platform”), and Part Two of our explanation of the starting point for all Brand Positioning Statements: the targeting clause.
This is Part Three in a series about Brand Positioning Statements as an important brand positioning guideline (or “platform”), and Part Two of our explanation of the starting point for all Brand Positioning Statements: the targeting clause.
In review, a Brand Positioning Statement is a brief (concise) four-part explanation of a brand’s “essence” relative to targeting, competitive set, desire and delivery (unique selling proposition). All roads to the marketplace begin with an understanding of the target, specifically, targeting a preferred group of people most suited to the brand and most likely to choose and remain loyal to the brand; of creating a brand message that reaches out to customers’ aspirations versus limiting customers and the brand to self-perceived realities.
For instance, Gatorade, in terms of its brand message, appears to be especially for serious-minded sweaty male athletes --the rest of us buy Gatorade because if it works for the serous-minded sweaty male athleetes, it’ll more than serve our purposes. Some might cal this a “Build it and they will come” approach to targeting.
Brand Positioning Statements 301 is a continuation of those notes and I begin it by pointing out that not everyone uses the same targeting format we do. In fact, not everyone does a lot of things the way we do (not everyone believed a cup of coffee would sell for three bucks until Starbucks make believers of them).
At The Brand Development Company, we believe a Brand Positioning Statement’s targeting clause must include a noun supported by three adjectives.
For instance, the targeting clause of our own Brand Positioning Statement is: For competitive, strategic, open-minded decision-makers. Our targeting noun is “decision-makers” because, whether a single entrepreneur, large corporation, startup or corporate division, our counterpart on the client side must be able to relate to the brand with brand-wide vision, and must have final authority to act on important decisions (such as those related to objective, strategy, tactics, and budget). If our client does not have final decision-making authority, our relationship is unable to function as efficiently as possible. Despite the reality that many of our clients are not the final decision-maker, we (and they) wish they were.
Next, our targeted decision-maker must have the following characteristics to be perfect for our brand:
1) They must be:Competitive. People that aren’t passionate about succeeding or about “being all that they can be” won’t fully appreciate our recommendations and capabilities.
2) Strategic. If they are not interested in a planned and methodical approach they don’t need our highly-tuned strategic approach to brand-minded marketing communications.
3) Open-minded. They will be willing to capitalize on our innovative and creative (fresh, outside-the-box) approach to problem-solving.
We had to wade through (and weed out) a LOT of other adjectives before narrowing down to just these three. For instance, we probably should've chosen “flush” as in “having lots and lots of money.”
BRANDLAND CHALLENGE: Tune in next time for more Notes From BrandLand.
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