Purpose and Benefits
It is critical in building a brand identity that it is done within the context of the competitive landscape. All product and service categories can be placed on an X-Y brand positioning map, with the key purchase drivers comprising the X-Y axes span. Each competitive brand has a place on this positioning map, as determined by their relative strength of associations with the purchase drivers (i.e., “strongly associate the brand with this purchase driver/do not associate the brand with this purchase driver”).
By conducting brand positioning/competitive analysis research, you can determine where your brand stands relative to competitors on key drivers, and then re-position the brand accordingly. For instance, if it is found that none of the competitors have a strong hold on a key purchase driver for the category, based on the market research, your organization can make strategic and tactical moves to “own” that driver, and thereby strengthen your brand position.
Key Questions Answered
- Who are our primary competitors?
- What are the key purchase drivers (i.e., product/service features) in our category?
- How are we positioned against our competitors on the key purchase drivers?
- What kinds of changes/improvements in these positioning factors are most likely to increase our market share/improve our market position?
- What is the level of brand loyalty among our and our competitors’ customers?
Research Techniques
- Secondary research
- Brand audits
- Web or in-person focus groups
- Web surveys
- Significance testing to determine relative strength of brand associations