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MKT650 Marketing Strategy Distinctive

Part 2 Harvard Business Review article analysis.

• Read the HBR article on Blackboard “A BETTER WAY TO MAP BRAND STRATEGY” (Dawar & Bagga, 2015).
• Complete the questions and analysis below. (3 points per question unless otherwise noted = 45 total points)

BACKGROUND QUESTIONS:

What do the authors mean by “central” brands? Define in detail and provide examples.

What do the authors mean by “distinctive” brands” Define in detail and provide examples.

The authors note that marketers typically have analyzed brand positioning and business performance separately.

• How is brand positioning typically measured?
• How is business performance typically measured?

What is the purpose of the “centrality-distinctiveness” (C-D) mapping tool?

How can managers use the C-D tool?

According to the authors, higher distinctiveness results in lower sales volume. So why then do brands seek out this coveted “distinctive” place on the C-D map?

MATCHING (8 points): Match the examples with the appropriate term – there are two responses for each term.

___ Aspirational a. unique; distinguished from “traditional”

___ Mainstream b. highly differentiated; wide appeal

___ Peripheral c. low distinctiveness, wide appeal; typically top of mind in category

___ Unconventional d. low price; lack distinctiveness; unlikely top of mind for consumers

• Mercedes, BMW
• Ford, Chevrolet
• Tesla, Mini
• Kia, Mitsubishi

Complete the following according to the authors: As the C-D maps show, ________________ tends to increase with centrality, and prices tend to ________. The more distinctive a brand is, the ________ the sales volume and the _______ the price.

In markets with high innovation and disruption, the authors recommend more / less (highlight one) frequent mapping. Why do the authors recommend this type of tracking and analyzing?

Assuming you are to lead discussion for the C-D map at the next staff meeting, outline strategic implications for each quadrant of the C-D tool.

• Aspirational
• Mainstream
• Unconventional
• Peripheral

ANALYSIS/APPLICATION QUESTIONS: Drawing from the logic and examples in the article, apply your critical thinking and analytical skills to complete this section.

• Considering the bottled water brands and prices below, use the concepts provided in the article to map the brands on the C-D map according to consumer perception (10 points):

Distinctiveness

Centrality