I would say that the most important part of  marketing  is brand positioning and that brand management is where the big money lies. To achieve top-of-mind awareness in the consumer’s head, companies must position their brand so that it is clear, distinct, and more desirable relative to competing brands.

As we have discussed in class, the Body Shop is notable for its work in defending human rights, community trade, protecting the environment, and opposing animal testing. To the public, Body Shop is positioned as a highly ethical and environmentally friendly brand. Many people do not know that the Body Shop is owned L’Oreal, which is known for performing animal testing. The conflict between the two brands, Body Shop and L’Oreal, cannot be reconciled and thus their relationship is often concealed. Another example of this is the brands Ben and Jerry and Unilever. The two brands are unrelated and their brand images simply don’t fit.

For existing companies and new companies, it is best to follow the positioning tips given in Ries &Trout’s article on Product positioning: http://www.quickmba.com/marketing/ries-trout/positioning/

-Be #1 in a category (top-of-mind)

-Be #1 in a segment

-Grab an unoccupied position in a major segment

-Reposition the competitor

-Work the “product ladders” in consumers’ minds