Within the Nineteen Seventies, BMW was an unpopular model within the US.
The opposite German manufacturers already captured a spot in American drivers’ minds.
Mercedes meant consolation.
Porsche meant sporty luxurious.
And Volkswagen meant practicality.
However BMW?
It had no identification.
Some individuals didn’t even know that it was German — they thought BMW stood for British Motor Works.
In order that they didn’t purchase it.
BMW’s new CEO Eberhard von Kuenheim was conscious of the issue.
He knew they needed to discover and talk what makes BMW completely different to reach an important automotive market on this planet.
So his workforce began knocking on the doorways of promoting companies.
It was a comparatively new company.
However they did a great job with a Fiat marketing campaign.
So BMW administration determined to present them a shot.
One factor grew to become clear.
BMW was managed by engineers from the underside to the highest.
All of the executives had been engineers they usually actually cared in regards to the particulars.
How the engine sounded, how the automobiles took turns, how the suspension dealt with bumps…
The individuals behind BMW had been true automotive nerds.
And it confirmed of their automobiles.
However as much as that time, they couldn’t discover a approach to clarify it to the American public.
“The Final Driving Machine.”
They knew they needed to present their German origins, and in addition stand out amongst different German manufacturers.
In order that they determined to decide on an enemy: Mercedes.
Mercedes was recognized for its consolation.
In order that’s why they determined to reframe that power as a weak point.
If BMW was the final word driving machine, what might the snug Mercedes be?
The last word sitting machine.
The end result?
Folks beloved the marketing campaign.
All people began noticing BMWs and the way driving a BMW feels completely different.
There was little question Mercedes automobiles had been snug — even BMW accepted that.
However specializing in the enjoyment of driving as a single level of differentiation gave BMW a novel place in US drivers’ minds.
BMW gained an identification.
So gross sales within the US elevated from 13,000 automobiles a 12 months to 90,000 in ten years.
That’s how the rivalry between BMW and Mercedes began.
It’s nonetheless occurring with genius advertisements — like when BMW confirmed Mercedes’ retiring CEO driving a BMW.
When your enemy defines you
Now, right here’s the factor.
However to speak that distinction to clients, they used one thing past a great tagline.
They selected an enemy.
And so they didn’t attempt to defuse Mercedes’ power.
They accepted it.
They even talked about it of their marketing campaign.
It was a daring transfer.
But it surely had a number of advantages for BMW.
First, by overtly accepting one thing many shoppers know (Mercedes = consolation) they elevated their very own declare’s believability.
Bear in mind worth tradeoffs.
Each power comes with a weak point.
And BMW discovered a approach to present it to individuals.
Second, it positioned itself as the principle challenger towards a powerful model.
Mercedes was already sturdy within the US market.
Clients knew what it stood for.
So by selecting Mercedes because the enemy, BMW implied they’re in the identical league.
We talked about anchoring within the final version.
BMW anchored itself to Mercedes — whereas telling the way it’s completely different.
It used Mercedes’ picture to get into their minds.
And it grew to become simple for patrons to know why they need to select BMW (or not).
Do you care in regards to the pleasure of driving?
Purchase a BMW.
Do you care about consolation?
We aren’t for you. Go purchase Mercedes.
And that’s counter-positioning.
You select an enemy that helps clients perceive your distinction and place your self as the apparent various.
Now, one be aware right here.
In his e-book 7 Powers, Hamilton Helmer talks about counter-positioning based mostly on enterprise fashions (e.g. Netflix’s subscription vs Blockbuster’s rental mannequin).
It’s an attention-grabbing matter to cowl in a future version.
However right here we’re strictly speaking about model positioning.
So, how will you use counter positioning even for those who don’t have a ravishing automotive model like BMW?
Listed below are the steps:
5 steps to counter-position your model efficiently:
1. Discover the massive thought
Each model wants its massive thought.
We are able to name it a degree of differentiation.
Or a motive to exist.
Why ought to clients select you over others?
What makes you meaningfully completely different?
It’s not simple to reply these questions.
However solely discovering good solutions can construct a successful model.
Some companies have already got that massive thought with out figuring out it.
Like BMW.
BMW workers had been so into what they did, they had been blind to what made them completely different.
What was regular for BMW engineers (consideration to driving expertise) was not so regular for different automotive manufacturers.
However they wanted an outsider to see that and clarify it to the shoppers.
So step one of counter-positioning is discovering the massive thought behind your model.
Solely then can you discover the proper enemy to place towards.
2. Select a worthy enemy
You’ve in all probability heard of this saying in some superhero motion pictures:
“Your enemies outline you.”
This works for branding too.
As a result of when you’ve a villain to struggle, it’s simpler for individuals to know your distinction.
It attracts clear strains:
“That is our enemy, and we stand towards what they stand for.”
That’s why it’s vital to decide on a widely known enemy.
As a result of individuals will intuitively put you in the identical league because the competitor you select.
We talked about Avis’s counter positioning towards market chief Hertz and T-Cell’s Un-carrier transfer.
However the enemy doesn’t even have to be a single competitor.
It may be clients’ present method of doing issues (e.g. Slack vs e mail).
Or an issue in your trade (e.g. Patagonia vs quick vogue).
So select a mighty enemy.
And also you’ll grow to be the apparent various.
3. Exploit the weak point within the power
This step is vital.
By no means attempt to refute the competitor’s recognized power.
It hardly ever works.
Plus it reduces the believability of different stuff you declare.
Quite the opposite, you need to settle for basic opinion.
Like BMW did with Mercedes.
However you need to discover the weak point inside their power.
A weak point that matches effectively together with your functionality.
How?
Let’s proceed with the Mercedes instance.
Their power —consolation— can imply a number of weaknesses:
- Costlier
- Much less dependable
- Much less protected
- Much less enjoyable to drive
On this case, the weak point that match into BMW’s power was “much less enjoyable to drive.”
And so they positioned Mercedes as the final word sitting machine.
So don’t attempt to change individuals’s minds about your competitor’s power.
However reframe it as a weak point.
4. Ignore clients who don’t consider in what you consider
Counter-positioning has a counterintuitive facet.
It’s important to intentionally ignore a set of shoppers.
It’s important to inform them “We aren’t for you.”
Why?
As a result of for those who declare to be completely different than a competitor, what you supply shouldn’t be constructed for his or her viewers.
It’s by definition.
It’s important to ignore their wants whereas constructing your product.
And possibly even antagonize them in your campaigns.
Since you are serving individuals who consider in what you consider.
BMW drivers consider driving needs to be enjoyable.
Volvo drivers consider security comes first.
Porsche drivers consider your automotive ought to make others jealous.
Robust manufacturers have their ideologies.
And so they have believers.
Clients select sides whereas shopping for merchandise they care about.
A BMW or Apple fan may defend the model towards critics like someone cursed his mom.
That’s why it’s so vital to remain loyal to your believers.
And ignore others.
The second you attempt to be for all people, you are taking away your clients’ motive to observe you.
Bear in mind model dilution.
5. Stroll the discuss
And the final step.
BMW’s “The Final Driving Machine” slogan labored — as a result of the corporate actually made enjoyable automobiles.
The expertise matched the declare (bear in mind the priming impact).
So as soon as you discover your level of differentiation, you need to align all the pieces you do round it.
Design, product, customer support — each buyer touchpoint ought to convey your positioning.
I’ve seen companies that had a great positioning thought.
However they didn’t grow to be it.
Their web site implied one factor.
Their gross sales talked about one other factor.
And the precise product/service represented one thing else.
Think about if Ritz-Carlton had a median customer support after saying “Girls and gents serving girls and gents.”
Would their positioning work?
After all not.
So claiming a counter place is half of the job.
The opposite half is being it.
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