Creating a Positioning Map 

Imagine you're planning a road trip. Would you embark on a journey without a map? Certainly not. In the world of marketing, a positioning map is akin to that essential roadmap. It visually depicts where brands stand in relation to competitors based on certain criteria deemed important by consumers. 

 

A positioning map, also known as a perceptual map, isn’t a mere chart with fancy dots. It’s a tool offering a bird's-eye view of the market landscape. With it, brands can make informed decisions on how to position their product or adjust their current positioning. 

 

How do you create one? Here’s a basic step-by-step approach: 

 

1. Identify Key Criteria: First and foremost, decide the criteria or attributes that consumers consider essential when choosing between products. For instance, if you’re looking at smartphones, it could be 'Battery Life' and 'Camera Quality'. 

 

2. Gather Data: This step involves market research. You can gather data from surveys, questionnaires, or feedback forms. Ask consumers to rate different brands based on the criteria you've identified. 

 

3. Plot the Brands: Now comes the fun part. On a two-dimensional graph, place one criterion on the x-axis and the other on the y-axis. Now plot each brand as a point on this graph based on its performance in those criteria. 

 

Let's use an example for clarity. Suppose you're analyzing the luxury car market. On the x-axis, we have 'Comfort', and on the y-axis, we have 'Performance'. Mercedes might be plotted towards the top right, indicating high scores in both comfort and performance. Meanwhile, a sportier brand like Ferrari might lean more towards the top left, indicating a stronger emphasis on performance than comfort. 

 

4. Analyze and Decide: Once the brands are plotted, it becomes clear where there's a gap in the market. If there's a space towards the bottom right, it may indicate a potential for a brand that offers moderate performance but supreme comfort. 

 

A few points to remember: 

• A positioning map is based on consumer perceptions, not facts. One consumer might believe Brand A is more luxurious than Brand B, while another might feel the opposite. 

• It’s a dynamic tool. As perceptions change, brands can adjust their position. Remember BlackBerry? There was a time they dominated the business smartphone segment, but perceptions shifted, and so did the market. 

 

To illustrate, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts both offer coffee. But if you plot them on a positioning map with 'Price' and 'Ambience' as criteria, Starbucks would lean towards the pricier, upscale ambiance quadrant. In contrast, Dunkin’ would sit in a more affordable, no-frills zone. 

 

A positioning map is an insightful tool for brands. It shows where you stand and where you could potentially be. In the ever-evolving game of marketing, tools like these can provide that much-needed competitive edge.