A few years ago, Research In Motion (RIM) was one of the most talked about phone companies in the world—with its wireless e-mail service and Blackberry Messenger—marketed primarily to CEOs and other business people. However, much has changed since then and RIM has been treading rough waters in recent months.

What has led to this downward spiral? Simply put, it has to do with positioning. As mentioned earlier, RIM had focused on marketing and selling to the business community where it became and still is popular because of its many capabilities. Over recent years, RIM expanded to try and gain new consumers; the only problem is that many consumers still think of their products as “corporate and stuffy” mainly due to its earlier focus on positioning their phones as the “must have phone” in the business industry. By doing so, they limited their ability to appeal to consumers outside this niche and in the attempt of expanding, they have left a marketing mess on the canvas that is the world.

As Apple continues to fulfill the desires of their target market with the launch of its iPhone 5, RIM is left lost at the crossroads of marketing.