Writing a Brand

Positioning Statement
MKT 3850
Dr. Don Roy

Why You Need a Positioning

Statement
States how brand should be
perceived by customers
Guides marketing communication
strategy
Who to target
What to say
How to say it

Short in length, great in importance!

Components of a Well-Constructed
Positioning Statement
1. Definition of target market you wish
to pursue
2. Definition of your companys
business
3. Statement of your point-of-difference
provided by your brand
4. Statement of advantage or benefit
the point of difference offers to the
target market (the so what)

Positioning Statement Template

To ( target market), (brand) is the

(definition of business) that provides
you with (stated point of difference).
(State payoff of benefit).

Example: Mountain Dew

Positioning Statement
To young, active soft-drink consumers who have
little time for sleep, Mountain Dew is the soft drink
that gives you more energy than any other brand
because it has the highest level of caffeine. With
Mountain Dew, you can stay alert and keep going
even when you havent been able to get a good
nights sleep.
Source: Brian Sternthal and Alice M. Tybout (2001), Brand
Positioning, in Kellogg on Marketing, D. Iacobucci, ed., New
York: Wiley, pp. 31-57.

Your Turn
Return to the article about Little Caesars Pizza
in Flipboard (True Blue IMC magazine)
Write a brand positioning statement for either
Little Caesars or Papa Johns using the template
for writing a brand positioning statement.

Target market
Brand name
Frame of reference (category, industry, product)
Point of difference
Advantage/benefit of the POD