In today’s exploding business world and the increasing challenges due to globalization, the battle for survival in the marketplace is becoming fiercer by the day, and the key to survival …?
Well, that is one of the most over flogged issues in business and marketing, but it has remained pertinent and thus must be examined ever so often. While I wish not to belabor the reader with “how a brand can excel”, my main aim is to address the most fundamental issue of “standing out as a brand” in order to have the golden share of the consumer’s mind.
It is on this footing that the business objective of the promoters i.e. profit maximization, can then be founded. However, the issue of taking a definite position or having a distinct reference point in the mind remains a major challenge for most of our brands.
Positioning for Excellence
In the game of football, examples abound of players that have excelled and are excelling at both club and country levels. The greatest players the game has seen are the greatest brands you can think of in the sport: Diego Maradona, Rashid Yekini, Stephen Keshi, Pele, Platini, Franco Baresi, Ashley Cole, David Beckham, Ronaldo de Lima, Ronaldinho, Maldini, among others.
These players and several others that have succeeded and are succeeding at the popular sport excelled by following a golden principle of excelling at a particular position on the field of play.
As a sportsman, first they chose the category of football, then selected the positions that they are best suited to; given their natural abilities and the advantage of repeatedly playing at those positions, success from that point on was a lot easier. In their different eras, no one was as clinical as Yekini as a striker; no one could playmake as well as Diego Maradona from the central midfield; no one was as electrifying as Ryan Giggs on the left wing; No one could bend it as well as Beckham from the right wing; and no one was as commanding in the heart of defense as Stephen Keshi.
John O’Shea
Compare these cases to that of a current member of the popular Manchester United team, Irishman John Francis O’Shea. O’Shea has been with the English side since 1998 and is popularly referred to by United’s supporters as ‘John is in control’ because of his ability to come off the substitutes’ bench to fill in any gap that might have arisen in the course of a game due to injuries or suspensions.
However, nine years after, he is yet to be a regular.
The problem with John is not that of incapability; in fact, he is more than decent and has been good at the different roles he had been called upon to play.
Herein lies the problem: John O’Shea has proven himself reliable at several positions on the field of play such that it is difficult (even for ardent United supporters) to place him in a particular role out of the eleven needed in the football team at a particular time. Having played at right back, left back, central defense, central midfield, left winger, as an attacker, and even as a goalkeeper (the only role left for O’Shea to play is that of the coach), it is quite a challenge to see John as first choice from the manager’s mindview at match times, when other players abound in the team that are excellent at certain particular roles.
Garba of All Trade
Back home in Nigeria, we had a similar situation with a certain Garba Lawal. Although Lawal’s relevance to the national team was lost on many a football fan, his ability as a player was never in doubt given the fact that he survived about five different national team managers in a period spanning ten good years in the national team.
However, Lawal’s place in history as a great footballer is not earned because just like O’Shea, Mr. Lawal was a “Garba of all trade” to the Nigerian Super Eagles having played at left back, left midfield, in attack, and the two positions at the center of midfield. Even at a time the Eagles struggled for lack of a left winger, Lawal couldn’t stamp his authority on that position and excel at it, in spite of being the only natural left-footer in the team for a long time just because he was seen as ‘the cure all’ for other problems.
Role Play
Even a passive sports follower is aware that the game of soccer involves eleven different roles, played by different players with the mandate of solving the problems with each of those roles on the pitch at any given time based on their natural abilities. Thus, when selecting a team, what the coach is doing is filling the specific positions (needs) with specific players (brands) that are best at specific roles.
But which role or which problem would O’Shea solve when he can solve so many at the same time?
This is exactly the same way a consumer thinks before taking patronage decisions. And as a consumer, think… for which ailment would you apply brand xyz when it can cure migraine, indigestion, constipation, typhoid, hepatitis, fracture, diabetes, cancer and God knows what else?
Since our versatile brand xyz does not represent any specific solution to a particular ailment, my sure bet is that when you eventually have any of those ailments, brand xyz would hardly be among the first few remedies that would come to your mind, especially when each condition has its specific medication.
Life generally is all about playing roles: of a father, mother, brother, sister, boss, employee, friend, and neighbor, among others; it is a fact that no single person can be everything to the same person or the same set of people. This same natural rule guides the marketplace.
Clearly Defined Roles
Brands, after choosing an industry, must also choose a category; and to prosper, they must equally select a particular position to play in order to assume a distinct reference point in the consumer’s mind.
According to Al and Laura Ries, “Marketing can be visualized as filling a hole in the mind”. The hole means specific need and the ‘filling’ means specific solution. It is a fact that consumers’ patronage contemplations are triggered by a state of need (a problem situation), and their patronage decisions are influenced by the mental image of what best solves particular problems.
Here in Nigeria, one brand that has excelled at filling a hole is Gala. It may appear that Gala’s leadership of the sausage rolls market is tied solely to its first mover status, but I personally and professionally see more to its strangle-hold on the segment.
Either by design or otherwise, Gala has assumed a formidable position in the minds of consumers and filling their hunger with unbroken efficiency several decades on. Gala’s secret is not unconnected to its unchanging position of providing strong solution to “hunger on the road”.
Ask those who patronize this solid beef filling, it is the strong feeling of being filled that they are buying; and the day this attribute is compromised is the beginning of compromising Gala’s position, of course in the mind.
Finding The Hole
In marketing circles, identifying and occupying a new category or position in today’s clustered market segments is considered hard, not to talk of leading in a category. Truthfully, it is quite challenging whether you are a first mover or late mover.
But this challenge will remain insurmountable for those who are looking to fill existing gaps in the marketplace, because there usually is not. Any gap in any market would have been quickly filled long before the gap becomes apparent.
But those who desire more than participation in their market categories, those who desire to own immortal brands that would outlive them and trends, are dutifully creating new categories from existing categories and dominating in such sub-divisions by virtue of being the first at filling the corresponding holes in the minds of their prospects.
It is pertinent to note here that as time passes, opportunities are created from all around us; and these opportunities don’t wait to be taken. It is the duty of companies to discern and translate perceived opportunities into categories by the combined efforts of their research and marketing activities.
A school of thought believes that consumers don’t know what they want until you give it to them. Smart companies are therefore pro-actively giving the market what consumers need, long before the latter realize it and put a definition to it.
One Hole At A Time
Nokia, the world’s sixth biggest brand is a perfect example of consistently creating new categories or sub categories out of perceived opportunities.
First, seeing the potential of the cellphone market, Nokia divested its operations in paper and rubber manufacturing, and in its hitherto major line of business “tyre manufacturing”, and concentrated on making cellphones only.
This move eventually gave it the most competitive edge any brand could acquire over competitors, the advantage of being identified with a single market: Global Satellite System and more distinctly, Nokia became synonymous with cellphones. Think cellphones, and you think Nokia, first.
This business move as simple as it may seem, was a massive move because it granted Nokia, perceived market leadership in consumers’ minds over and above first movers in the GSM phone market, who were busy being good at several things, all at the same time. For example, Motorola was known as being involved in a wider range of operations of which communications equipment and GSM are parts of; while Samsung is involved in household appliances, among other things.
Deepening The Hole
As if this smart move was not enough, by incorporating a most relevant feature of endurance into its cellphones, Nokia went ahead and created (successfully too) the perception of durability around its products. This clearly stood it apart and deepened the hole in people’s mind because when people think cellphone, they think Nokia; and when they think of a phone that lasts, they still think Nokia.
Today, every conceivable hole that relates to the GSM communications interface is being filled by Nokia.
With numerous sub-categories molded out of the existing categories, using relevant features and functions to segment the market, Nokia is giving the consumers what they need even before the market puts definitions to such needs. This way, the leading cellphone manufacturer is taking up positions after positions in consumers’ minds.
It is quite the norms today to hear people express their preferences for cellphones in terms of the need such phones meet: we have camera phones, radio phones, music phones, high-end phones, phones with large memory capacities, phones with multi-media capabilities etc. Whichever need-based preference is being expressed, there’s a Nokia brand available to fill that hole.
In this wise, what companies should realize is that customers see their needs from the general perspectives; thus, they see categories. But they see the solutions to these needs from the specific point of view; therefore, they make patronage choices based on their perception of which particular brand best meets the need.
For example, an individual may realize he needs an automobile i.e. a car (generality), but when he is faced with the poser “what kind of car?”, his mind goes into focus drive and he may express his preference in such a way as “I need a safe car” (specific position). The moment he zeroes in on this particular position, his mind almost automatically zeroes in on Volvo.
Even if he happens to be unaware of Volvo’s synonymy to safety, his search for advice will definitely throw up the Volvo name. This strong mindshare is a result of unwavering dedication to the value of safety that has been deepened overtime by virtue of the fact that the auto brand chose to stand for something distinct in the marketplace; and accordingly, standing for something distinct in people’s mind.
It is sacred that in assuming any distinct position, brands must be steadfast in not diluting their brand’s point of reference. Volvo could have opted to be more than ‘safe’ to car users, of course it does offer more than safety, but it is best to be identified with one single relevant attribute than be known with several.
Just like Gala systematically chose to let those who demand soft sausage go while staying faithful to those who need their hunger fixed while on the move, Volvo was resolute in keeping the clarity of its brand position, thus securing its top of mind share for ever, as well as perceived leadership of the “safe car sub-category”.
Don’t contest Market Leader’s Position
Another auto brand that comes up tomorrow trying to claim the position of “safe car” will have to contend with being perceived as being a me-too brand, and an inferior brand which could even damage such brand’s prospect in the marketplace before it has even established itself.
This explains why certain rival brands have not succeeded at displacing perceived market leaders in certain product or service categories. The best thing such competitors could do is to identify inherent positions lagging within the existing categories due to the leaders immovable stance, and provide offerings that would fill such holes. A good case in point is the new Meaty brand of sausage roll.
Position Against Market Leader
Softer and purportedly with more beef filling, this is a brand that is standing for something and is assuming a distinct position in consumers’ mind different from Gala’s. Meaty is what Gala is not and in being thus; Meaty is also filling a yawning hole, which if sustained, provides a golden platform to becoming an eternal brand like the category leader, Gala.
Other examples are Nigeria’s new generation banks that positioned against their older generation counterparts.
Another example of a distinct position is Red Bull and the energy drink segment. Before the advent of Red Bull into the Nigerian market, Lucozade reigned supreme for decades; but its positioning was as a convalescent elixir. Red Bull and its ilk thus came in and positioned as energy drinks for the healthy and active with everyday activities. Their positioning was further strengthened by their choice of Points of Sales: bars, sports centers, joints, and night clubs.
This way, these energy drinks have successfully filled a hole like no other in people’s minds.
Position Against Competition
And looking at our banking industry and their vaunted products, with every bank brandishing what every other one is brandishing, one product brand that strikes me is the newly introduced Standard Chartered Bank’s Diva Account, of course for women.
With this special product offering that is obviously not a clone of other financial services products; the Diva account is a smart way of segmenting the market using the distinct emotional platform of gender difference, in the process filling a hole which the target market will definitely not forget in a hurry.
Of course it won’t be long before other banks clone Diva Account, but the fact that Standard Chartered Bank was first to fill this “gender-specific” hole would give it an immovable position in consumers’ minds and the attendant competitive advantage. What remains to be seen is how this product brand will be sustained via a host other marketing measures beyond just communication.
Market Leaders’ Game
However, industry leaders that wish to totally dominate their categories can offer product line extensions that would fill potential holes (within their categories or segments) in order to discourage potential competitors. Like Nokia did and is doing; like Guinness did with the introduction of Guinness Extra Smooth brand.
Guinness Smooth is somewhere in between the very strong Guinness Stout (in terms of taste) and lager beers. But, whether the Guinness Smooth brand survives and prospers in the long-run or not, is dependent on how strong the smooth platform is and what other set of brand building activities are undertaken to make the Smooth experience an enduring one.
This is only a matter of time; what is certain is that by not compromising the position of Guinness Extra Stout, the immortality of this premium brand is ordained.
However, line extensions should be cleverly adopted, otherwise it may dilute the strength of a strong brand by over-extending, which might result in a weak perception of position in the long run.
As earlier noted, the global phenomenon of globalization is creating increasing challenges for marketers as there is little or no room for mediocrity, when quality brands even struggle for relevance. Marketers are more and more faced with the challenge of building strong brands that would not only be visible, but be able to stand the fierce war of a marketplace with no borderline.
Other factors necessitating the need for distinctiveness among brands in Nigeria include
- The emergence of new markets, new market segments and new audiences due to new developments such as technology (e.g. telecommunications);
- Demographic shifts and the specific needs of consumers within certain market segments;
- Increasing and stronger competitions due to industry consolidation e.g. in Nigeria.
- The need to survive and thrive as a brand is therefore increasingly lying in assuming a clear and distinct position from others in the market place.
The positioning I’m referring to is simply how a product appears in relation to other products in the market. That definite idea that primarily comes to mind regarding a product; not the general idea that relates to the product’s category, but the unique thing by which it stands out in the industry. The one special characteristic that sets it apart from the competition.
Companies must therefore express the opportunities they see in terms of new categories or sub-categories of existing ones with distinct justifications which can be on any of several platforms ranging from class to age to gender to geographic to …whatever indices that consumers will identify with, especially that is unlike what they are currently being served, and which, uncompromisingly must be relevant.
Strong brands have a clear, often unique position in the target market and it can be achieved through several means. It is happening in product and service categories, as well as in the professional services.
For example, the medical profession today boasts of over 24 different specialties. It wouldn’t do a medical practitioner much good if he were to promote himself as a doctor. And the legal profession is equally divided along several fortes, all in order to be competitive and to succeed (more on this development soon).
What brand promoters and marketers must do, can be summarized thus:
- Identify a category within an industry;
- Choose a distinct position or create a new one within that category;
- Make sure it’s relevant;
- Define it creatively;
- Communicate and claim it; and
- Sustain it (be consistent) religiously
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Just as I started with the soccer example, here are some examples in the entertainment industry to drive home the point, on a lighter and rather more interesting note:
Bob Marley, Maxi Priest and Sean Paul
In reggae music, Bob Marley is the legend who has come to personify that mystic brand of music. However, artistes like Maxi Priest and Sean Paul, are equally successful because they play different brands of reggae music and thus occupy different distinct positions within the industry: when you think of sub-categories such as raga dancehall, you think Sean Paul; and when you think of Lovers’ Rock, you think Maxi Priest. No one has ever been as good as Bob Marley in mainstream roots reggae.
Sir Shina Peters and his Afro-Juju brand
Back home, Sir Shina Peters’ resounding dominance of the juju music genre in the 90s was most remarkable because he did so at a time the two supremos of that indigenous music segment King Sunny Ade and Chief Ebenezer Obey were still in their primes.
The secret to his masterstroke was being able to carve out a new sub-segment in the juju category: a funkier and faster brand, defining it aptly as afro-juju and subsequently dominating the new category. It is a certainty that had he tried (like many others had tried before) to play mainstream juju music exactly like the two leading brands were doing, he wouldn’t have met with as much success as he achieved with afro-juju.
The same formula has proven to be the key in the Fuji music sector as only those that carved out special niche positions have succeeded in making successes out of their Fuji careers other than the Barrister Ayinde and Kollington Ayinla. Today we have Pasuma, Obesere with asakasa, and Adewale Ayuba with Bonsue Fuj, their own distinct brands of Fuji.
Fela and Afro-Beat
Another legendary brand is Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his unique brand of afro-beat. Given the prevalent highlife music that was the order of the day in the 60s, Fela chose to be different and succeeded in developing a brand of music that is wholly African yet, unique in all classifications. Today, he is a brand that lives on.
Femi Kuti and Lagbaja
Following in his father’s footsteps, Femi Kuti wisely decided to be distinct with his own special brand of afro-beat, making it faster and more techno, capturing new grounds and new markets overseas; while Lagbaja also intelligently created and defined his own afro-calypso, a more relaxed, more comical brand of afro beat.
Compare this to those artistes that played and are still playing afro beat like Fela started it, and see where they are today as brands… nowhere.
They are nowhere simply because they, and other “me-too” brands are weak brands. Weak brands have no distinct positions in the marketplace. Positions that provide differentiating platforms for excelling with Unique Selling Propositions. Positions that offer reference points based simply on a Brand’s Distinct Attributes or Associations.
Thus, for brands to stand out and assume an immovable position for everlasting competitive advantage while winning the undying commitment of consumers, brand managers must develop brands that stand for something.
A brand that stands for something is a strong brand. And a strong brand is difficult to move because the brand’s strength lies in its association with what it represents, which differs from others in its market category.