Lessons from a Tide Brand Manager: The Brand Positioning Strategy Worksheet

We’ve been sharing some learnings from Procter & Gamble based on my 23 years of building brands and businesses with them. The most recent articles have focused on brands, branding and product positioning. This article provides an overview of how P&G builds its positioning strategies for its brands. You may also know this as the copy strategy or the advertising strategy or the branding strategy, in addition to the positioning strategy. This is important since in many cases the support for the brand goes beyond advertising.

A brand positioning strategy identifies the basis on which we expect our brand to be purchased in preference to the competition. The content arises directly from the product or service and the basic need of the consumer that it intends to satisfy. It must clearly state the basic benefit that the brand promises and that constitutes the main basis for the purchase. It should also include a statement of the product features that make this benefit possible and the tone or character you want to build for the brand.

This will provide a direction for the brand’s basic message, which should remain constant across all communication vehicles, although the execution of the message may change. It is inherently competitive as it is the basis for preference vs. competence.

Developing the strategy by using the creative work plan

Start at the top and work your way down through the rest of the elements.

1 key fact

A single piece of known information related to the brand that is agreed to be the primary factor influencing or describing the performance of the brand. It can be information about the brand itself, the competition, the customer, innovation, etc. but it must be a single fact.

2 Problem that advertising must solve

This is a consumer problem. Describes the potential user’s awareness, perception or behavior that has resulted in the Key Fact and that we wish to change.

3Advertising objective

Usually just the counterpart of the problem, although there are many different options. For example, “Persuade consumers to try my brand” or “use more of my brand.” Or “use my brand in a different way.” Convince them that my brand is a viable alternative to brand x.”

4 Strategy

a) Definition of prospect

Both demographic and psychographic.

b) Main Competition.

Not just a list of competitors, but a description of the segment we want to get business from.

c) Promise

The single most persuasive deal one can promote for the brand framed with the customer and the competition in mind.

d) Reason why

The strongest piece of support for the pledge. Occasionally there may be more than one support piece but never a list

e) Tone/Character

The tone that the messages must transmit to give the message personality and give it life. This is not execution.

As you can see, the format is very simple. However, like everything at Procter & Gamble, the use of the simple tool is handled by experts in the field. That is what makes the tool so effective.

If you want to have the benefits of this simple tool supporting your brand or your business and contact us. We would be happy to help you.

Thanks.

John