Brand Positioning
The Living Compass for Enterprise Transformation
When we think about brands, what comes to mind? Perhaps a logo, a catchy slogan, or a specific product. However, in today's world, brands have the potential to be so much more. They can be game changers for society, shaping the world we live in. This is where brand positioning comes in - the idea and action that a brand commits to bring to life for the world and society.
But what exactly is brand positioning? It can be described as the answers to four key questions:
What value does my brand bring? This includes the benefits and emotions that the brand commits to delivering consistently to its customers.
What beliefs define my brand? These are the values and vision that unite the brand with its teams around a common mission, and compel customers to become active advocates.
What is my brand’s personality? This refers to how the interaction with the brand feels like for customers.
What universe does my brand create? This encompasses the moments of the day, situations with friends and family, and places that the brand represents and idealizes for its customers.
Take Nike’s brand positioning as an example. Nike delivers high performance sport gear value, promotes a vision of pushing limits with its famous “Just Do It” slogan, feels like an easygoing team that can turn into a passionate coach, and creates the universe of victory and overcoming (Nike means victory in Greek).
It’s important to note that brand positioning is different from business positioning. While brand positioning focuses on the brand’s value, beliefs, personality, and universe, business positioning answers questions such as who the target customers are, the price positioning, and how the brand competes in the market.
So, how can brand positioning help with enterprise transformation and why is it important? A good brand positioning provides clarity and actionability to the enterprise towards its transformation goals. It aligns teams and customers towards a vision that impacts the world and society, and accelerates innovation and consumer-centricity with a focus on the brand’s value.
In a rapidly changing world, it’s essential for brands to embrace brand positioning as a living compass to navigate through evolving environments. A dynamic brand positioning can help brands adapt to a variety of situations and continue to thrive, while making a positive impact on society. So, if you’re a business leader, take the time to define your brand’s positioning, and use it as a guiding principle for your organization’s success.
