Brand Positioning Taps Into Consumer Emotions
- By Gareth Schweitzer
- Published 02/19/2010
- Marketing
- Unrated
Gareth Schweitzer
Gareth Schweitzer is President of The Omnibus Company. The Omnibus Company, a division of Kelton Research, provides fast and accurate brand positioning and brand positioning techniques to public relations and marketing professionals looking for newsworthy, actionable data. http://www.omnibus.com/
View all articles by Gareth Schweitzer
This year consumers are torn between needs and wants and brand positioning is the best way to remain relevant in the buyer’s mind. With certain brand positioning techniques a product can become both a necessity and a want for the price conscious customer. The key is to convince consumers that the product is a necessity. Currently, money/ income (cash) and home related items (furniture) are reported as the biggest necessities for a great number of customers. The new challenges and opportunities that this year’s changes in attitude provide relate to a switch in preference from quality and variety to price and great value. Instead of choosing stores with the highest quality products or widest variety, shoppers are going to stores based on low prices and great value. However, there is a group that plans on spending more money this year than last year. This group consists of 18-34 year old males, who are typically part of a racial minority, earn $75,000+, and are less concerned about price than they are about quality. Parents are also part of the group that will likely spend more due to the popularity of the “tech” products that their children prefer over clothing and apparel. Most importantly, it’s key to understand that a majority of families plan on spending more time together indoors, so any products that can be enjoyed by the whole family will continue to be big sellers. Now that people are more likely to care less about luxurious material items and are more concerned with their emotional needs and happiness, it is vital for a company to understand the emotional drivers
behind their customer’s decisions.
A shopper won’t be driven to purchase an item solely based on superficial factors. Brands need to understand their target consumers and how they are currently feeling by identifying the key emotional motivators such as longing, motivation, and guilt. Brand positioning and brand positioning techniques need to be tailored to the shift in values. Instead of challenges, the changing perceptions of luxury have created great opportunity for brands to deliver the new messages that are needed. For example, brands that previously appeared commonplace can now position themselves as a special treat while traditional luxury items can become an “everyday essential,” such as a flat screen TV to enjoy family movie night rather than to impress the neighbors. Brand positioning focuses on changing the messages you use to encourage consumers to buy your products in their current mindset, rather than changing the products or services themselves. Although price is important, brands need to reach beyond that. Price doesn’t—and can’t—define most brands. Brand positioning techniques such as remaining relevant, being sensitive to consumer emotions, and becoming either a special treat or an everyday essential are key ways to position your brand strongly and succeed in this economic climate. Tapping into today’s consumer lies in understanding how the new consumer mindsets affect your brand and your category specifically, and the new communications strategy you’ll need to reach them. By creating new communication messages for your target customers you will not only make your product more significant in their minds, but you will also create an accessible image for your brand.
A shopper won’t be driven to purchase an item solely based on superficial factors. Brands need to understand their target consumers and how they are currently feeling by identifying the key emotional motivators such as longing, motivation, and guilt. Brand positioning and brand positioning techniques need to be tailored to the shift in values. Instead of challenges, the changing perceptions of luxury have created great opportunity for brands to deliver the new messages that are needed. For example, brands that previously appeared commonplace can now position themselves as a special treat while traditional luxury items can become an “everyday essential,” such as a flat screen TV to enjoy family movie night rather than to impress the neighbors. Brand positioning focuses on changing the messages you use to encourage consumers to buy your products in their current mindset, rather than changing the products or services themselves. Although price is important, brands need to reach beyond that. Price doesn’t—and can’t—define most brands. Brand positioning techniques such as remaining relevant, being sensitive to consumer emotions, and becoming either a special treat or an everyday essential are key ways to position your brand strongly and succeed in this economic climate. Tapping into today’s consumer lies in understanding how the new consumer mindsets affect your brand and your category specifically, and the new communications strategy you’ll need to reach them. By creating new communication messages for your target customers you will not only make your product more significant in their minds, but you will also create an accessible image for your brand.