MRK $233$ Fall $2023$

Positioning Statement

Exercise #$25\%$ Assessment $(16$ Marks$)$

Due $$ Feb $13$th $5$:$00$PM though Blackboard

Assignment

a$)$ Select one of the following Service Brands below and in $70$ words or less, write a positioning statement for the brand using the statement format or the ABC format discussed in the How to Write a Positioning Statement document. $(10$ Marks$)$

Service Brands: Select any one brand from: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple Tv $($any popular streaming Service$)$ Uber Eats, Door Dash, Grub Hub,Uber, Spotify, TikToc, LinkedIn, Facebook, any Bank, Fedex, Fedex Ground, UPS, Apple Music, Ritz Carleton, West Jet, Air Canada, American Airlines, Contiki, G Adventures, Instagram, WhatsApp, Expedia, Trivago

If there$$s a service brand that you would like to use that is not in the list above, please let me know before you start.

This exercise should be completed in your own words and be based on what you know now, so select a brand that you are most familiar with. You can use class notes and what$$s in your mind and what you know. You can do additional research on the brand for background on the service brand you select, but please don$$t copy and paste information from the brand$$s website $$ it$$s mostly ad copy$/$description $$ helpful background, but not a positioning statement. Most brands don$$t publish this information.

If you wish, use the ABC format outlined in the How to Write a Positioning Statement document.

b$)$ After you write the positioning statement, provide your rationale for each section below the statement $-(6$ Marks$)$

$1.$ Target Group $$ why you think that this is the primary target market for the brand that you selected

$2.$ Frame of reference $$ what brands do you believe are the main competitors

$3.$ Uniqueness$/$difference $$ why do you believe this is the brand$$s point of difference

This exercise is not for you to research the brands positioning online and restate it$.$ As mentioned, positioning statements are difficult to find $$ usually closely held information, as part of a marketing plan. But do your best to develop a positioning statement with the information you know and make any assumptions that are required.

A couple of tips:

$1.$ Keep it Simple

$2.$ Don$$t write you too much $(70$ words or less$)$ and don$$t explain every point $$ you are writing a statement$$ a paragraph is way too long

Sometimes you can re$-$engineer the positioning strategy by looking at the brand ads $$ TV$,$ magazines, social media $$ this is what you should research and interpret, not corporate documents that describe their service product.

This exercise is to get you used to thinking about barnd positioning and writing a positioning statement. Think about each section carefully $($Target Group, frame of reference and what$$s unique$)$ based on your own impressions $$ what$$s already in your mind.

Due Date $$ Week $5$ Wednesday, June $7$th$,$ by $11$:$59$ PM EST through Blackboard

Here are some examples in both a statement and the ABC format.

Do not use any of these brands $($Visa Basic, Starbucks, Tim Horton$$s$)$ for this exercise $$ you can use other credit cards but not Visa Basic.

Visa $($basic card$)$:

Statement Format: For vibrant businesses, and young adults $1835$ who $$have arrived$$ the Visa credit card is the best way to pay and be paid everywhere in the world.

Or ABC Format

A$)$ Target: Vibrant businesses and young adults $18-35$ who $$have arrived$($meaning they have reached a stage of life with important decisions to be made and they have social stature$)$

B$)$ Competitive Framing$/$market: the Visa Credit Card

C$)$ Uniqueness$/$Benefit: best way to pay and be paid everywhere in the world

D$)$ Reason Why$($optional$)$ not included above and usually not required, but sometimes used as proof to support a claim. In this case$-$ the Basic Visa credit card is the best way to be paid $($business$)$ or pay $($customer$)$ because it$$s honoured by more banks, financial institutions, businesses, hotels, restaurants, airlines etc. in the world.

Starbucks:

Starbucks is an exceptional coffee experience for millennial coffee enthusiasts who want to blend coffee and environment with their lifestyle.

A$)$ Target: Millennial coffee enthusiasts

B$)$ Competitive Framing$/$market : coffee experience $($coffee retailer $-$ describes products and service$)$

C$)$ Uniqueness$/$Benefit: blend coffee and environment with their lifestyle

D$)$ Reason Why: could include things like retail atmosphere $-$ visual, smell, music, seating etc., range of coffees and specialty drinks$/$food$,$ mobile apps, business practices with its employees and suppliers

Tim Horton$$s

All Canadians enjoy the convenience of Tim Horton$$s as Canada$$s largest quick service restaurant, along with its signature coffee, extensive food options and its involvement in their communities all across the country.

A Target: All Canadians $-$ it's not always smart to be so broad but with Tim Hortons they seem to appeal to everyone, although they will need to get younger in the next few years

B Competitive Framing