'Versus' marketing strengthens positioning

Marketing magazine has a thought-provoking opinion piece by Mark Ritson, about positioning for competitive advantage. Here's one quote:

The versus position is one in which we make it clear what we stand for to customers by highlighting the differences between ourselves and others.

Remember, positioning is in the mind of the customer--how the customer thinks or feels about your brand and competing brands. Your role is to put forth a 'versus' fitting for your product or brand, one that is compelling enough to influence thought and feeling, compelling enough to encourage a purchase.

It's not enough to say 'my brand is the best'. But if you position versus traditional brands--as one example--or versus a specific competitor, you help customers understand what your brand stands for and why it's the best choice.

Here are two examples of positioning versus traditional competitors:

• Ben & Jerry's website and packaging showcase the brand's social responsibility. The company (owned by Unilever) knows that customers expect ice cream to taste good. Ben & Jerry's stands for more than just good-tasting ice cream. Its positioning relies on the brand being good for the planet, good for workers, good for social causes--not a claim that every competitor can make.
• Innocent positions itself as 100% pure, no additives, no 'nasty' stuff, just healthy, fresh ingredients. This is in contrast to traditional soft drinks that are carbonated and sugary, or that use artificial sweeteners. Plus Innocent (owned by Coca-Cola) is 'sourced sustainably' and gives 10% of profits to charity. Again, not every competitor does what Innocent does.

One last thought: If you use advertising to highlight differences between your brand and another, be sure the comparisons are fair and not misleading.

The top UK social brand is . . .

According to Headstream, the leading UK social brand in 2012 is Innocent, maker of smoothies and fruit drinks.

Headstream cites Innocent's sense of humour and distinctive voice. Joe McEwan, communities manager, at Innocent, comments on the brand's social media success: “We’ve always wanted to build actual relationships with our drinkers. It started with talking to people on our packaging, inviting them to call the bananaphone, meeting them at events we put on, and so on. It naturally extended into digital and then social media as those channels evolved.”


In a different study, released by eDigitalResearch, Topshop is identified as the leading UK brand on Twitter and Facebook, as measured by followers, likes and fans. Right below Topshop is ASOS. Both are at the leading edge of change in fashion retailing.

Will Innocent Lose Its Innocence?

The founders of Innocent Drinks, an all-natural smoothie pioneer, have a powerful new backer: Coca-Cola. The soft-drink giant recently took a minority stake in Innocent and will help the founders plan a major distribution expansion across Europe. Will Innocent change now that it's playing in the big leagues? The founders say, in fact, that they hope to influence Coca-Cola.

Innocent's founders have been successful precisely because of their refreshingly innocent approach to marketing. They've gained a loyal following for their "completely pure, fresh and unadulterated" fruit drinks by using natural ingredients and sustainable packaging. Their Web site explains: "We sure aren't perfect, but we're trying to do the right thing." How often do companies admit they aren't perfect? It's charming--and effective.

In short, Innocent seems, well, more innocent than its super-sized corporate competitors. Its Web site invites brand fans to AGM (A Grown-Up Meeting) at Fruit Towers, London, in May. If you go, you can chat up the founders and meet fellow fans. Click here to see more and watch a video of last year's AGM. What will Innocent do next?