No "normal blogpost today. Instead my response to Brand Consultant Asia's blogpost that states that positioning is not a valid concept in this day an age.
I think the concept of positioning still holds true even though the world has changed greatly over the last 40 years. There are still competitors, there are still customers. Customers have changed and markets have too. That doesn't make the concept of positioning obsolete. It makes it harder and more necessary than ever.
In my response I tell it like I see it (which after moderation can hopefully can also be read below the original blogpost; January 31, 8.42 PM):
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This is an interesting read but I one that I disagree with wholehartedly. I address each reason you presented below:
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You state chat a model that was developed for the US mass market in the seventies is not applicable to other countries or through time. Why does a market have to be similar in order for a model to work? All markets have the same elements (competitors, customers, manufacturers etc.) don't they. If you extend your statement to other theories it is the same as saying that economic theories cannot be applied in Malaysia because they were thought up by Americans or English in another era. This reasoning in my opinion is flawed.
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Bad claims or outrageous claims developed by agencies for the clients doesn't mean that the concept of positioning is no good. It means that agencies did poor work.
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I am not sure what you mean by your statement that positioning is only suitable for mass markets. As long as there is competition and there are customers you can use the concept. Even if there is no competition you can still position your company or your brand.
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Mission and vision, values, BHAG's; there are tons of stuff in business that are immeasurable. Or they are measurable but aren't measured. Does that mean that the concept doesn't hold? I don't think so.
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Wikipedia is no official standard. It could be my opinion or yours; whoever comes last. So dimissing positioning because you do not like the definition in Wikipedia is a sophism. Skipping that and going back to Ries & Trout, the wrote a book on bottom-up marketing and always had the consumer/customer/prospects in mind.
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You state positioning is one way communication. The company is telling the customer how the products are positioned. I think that you are confusing claims with positioning again. I hope companies would be smarter than to communicate their positioning to their target audience. Who cares?
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To me positioning is both competition and consumer/customer driven. That is the way I work and I know that others do too. And Ries & Trout say the following: "To find a tactic that will work, you have to leave your ivory tower and go down to the front where the marketing battle is being fought. Where is the front? In the minds of your customers and prospects".
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Of course the world has changed significantly over the last 40 years but that doesn't mean that theories and models aren't true or usable anymore?
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You state that positioning uses mass market channels. To me positioning is a strategic concept and not equal to marketing communication. So what you really seem to be saying here is that mass market channels aren't of this day and age. I agree with you there, but it has nothing to do with the concept of positioning.
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Advertising can cost a lot of money. You are equaling positioning and advertising. Positioning is a strategic concept and Advertising is a possible form of execution of the strategic positioning for a company or a product.
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Of course tennis rackets have changed throughout the years because of the possibilities technology offer, but since 1873 tennis has been played with a racket. The concept of the tool is still the same. People still play tennis with a racket. If I apply this analogy it would mean that the theory of positioning can be innovated and developed throughout the years, and still be a tool to be used.
You state some undeniable facts. Markets and consumers have changed. Communication channels are of another era. But your arguments for positioning being outdated and unusable are - in my opinion - flawed and have not convinced me. I also miss an alternative. It would be great positioning for your agency: The brand agency with the alternative to positioning!