Summary Concepting - Linda
The step before concepting is positioning; its focus is on communication and on winning over the consumer’s mind. There are three differences between the two. Positioning is based on communicating added value, it relies on a brand’s surface and it’s guided by specific, existing markets. Concepting brings a concept such as a philosophy, an attitude, a value system or a mentality to the market. Concepting relies on a brand’s ‘soul’ and is guided by a wide range of existing and still-to-created markets.
The Virgin concept has an extremely broad field of product possibilities and is not dependent on any one product or product group: it has an autonomous life.
Communication
Communications is no longer considered a separate, isolated activity that is undertaken once the product development phase is completed.
Integrated communications was used in a battle against brand split personality. All elements were brought together again in a unified, common image. The campaign theme becomes all-determining in establishing the brand image in all communications. Every piece of communications embodies the concept statement. The ultimate objective of total communications is to create as large a following as possible for the concept. Its point is to have the public share in the brand’s mentality.
Concept brands initially are being underestimated by competitors and have the further advantage of being very difficult to compete against using imitation. Consumers do not tend to take too well to concept imitators.
Making a huge mental shift from a traditional focus on technical competence to a concept focus, resulted in one of the most successful concepts ever.
Summary of Concepting - Sander
The various waves of positioning and repositioning have resulted in the slow crystallization of many saturated markets. You have the winners, those who manage to hold on to their positions, and the ‘’losers’’, those who are forced to limit themselves too less attractive options.
Concepting is the next step from positioning. Below are the three differences between the two:
1. Positioning is based on communicating added values, concepting on concepts.
2. Positioning relies on a brand’s surface, concepting on a brand’s ‘’soul’’.
3. Positioning is guided by specific, existing markets, concepting by a wide range of existing and still-to-be created markets.
Plainly, positioning is the communication of added values. Concepting, in contrast brings a concept to the market
Communication
When it comes to a brand marketing mix, it has everything to do with communication. The main changes represented by ‘total communications’ are:
- From ‘integrated communications’ to consistent behavior
- From ‘theme’ to ‘statement’
- From seduction to mentality sharing
Communications is no longer considered a separate, isolated activity that is undertaken once the product-development phase is completed. In the past communication was only used to add values to your product. That way of approach leads to a splitting of brand’s personality. The reaction on this problem was the usage of ‘integrated communication’, which means that all elements had to be brought together again to create a unified, common image.
From a concepting perspective, integration is never an issue, because the communication elements never become segmented in the first place.
Integrated communication strives for as much unity of communication form and content as possible. The campaign theme becomes all-determining in establishing the brand image in all communications, from advertising, to folder, to store materials.
The market
Not everyone can be a market leader. There are companies with huge leadership and they can claim their supremacy. However, companies that enjoy seeing themselves as specialists, are seriously blinding themselves from the real matter: the customers. They abuse the notion of a market and lose sight of the consumer in their enthusiasm for segment statistics. These market leaders also tend to underestimate the competition of companies taking a different approach!
Concept brand have the further advantage of being very difficult to compete against using imitation. In particular the vision of a company is not always completely ‘clear’ so that the competition has a hard time trying to copy and incorporate into their market-segment thinking. Problems that competitors can face when they try to deal with concepting companies is that it can happen that they will not be not taking seriously..
Summary of Concepting - Milan
(and extra infomation concering futuring, which I made incidentaly as an extra)
There are several techniques for anticipating, forecasting and assessing future events. These methods are rational, empirical and scientific. The most common are, as followed:
Scanning, which is based on a systematic survey of current media for indications of changes likely to have future importance. Scanning focuses mainly on trends, rather then events.
Trend analysis is the examination of a trend to identify its nature, causes, speed of development and potential impacts. Careful analysis may bed needed because a trend can have many different impacts on society.
Trend monitoring focuses on monitoring trends that are viewed particularly importance, which will be watched and reported on regular bases.
Trend projecting is especially useful when numerical data is available, so that a trend can be plotted throughout time, and even be extended into the future on the basis of the recent rate of change.
Brainstorming is the generation of new ideas by means of a small group assembled to think creatively about a topic or trend. This method is useful in identifying possibilities, opportunities and risks.
Polling is a method that focuses on collecting people’s views on the future and other topics. The data may be collected on several different ways.
Focusing on a certain trend and looking towards the future (futuring) can lead to great advantages in any field. Important factors in this are the communication, positioning and the concepting. Though the last two may appear the same, there are several differences: positioning is based on communicating added values, relies on a brand’s surface and is guided by specific, existing markets. Concepting, on the other hand, is based on concepts, relies on a brand’s “soul” and is guided by a wide range of existing and future markets. Despite these differences, it is clear that positioning is the forerunner of concepting: the strongest feature they have in common is the perception that distinctive values are more important than distinct product features.
The last, important issue to add is the line that these two different approaches draw towards the product, namely in the fact that with concepting the products are secondary: communication is and branding is just as important.
So, when aligned, it shows the next big differences:
- Positioning is based purely on communicating added values, concepting on concepts.
- Positioning relies on a brand’s surface, concepting on a brand’s ‘’soul’’.
- Positioning is guided by specific, existing markets, concepting by a wide range of existing and still-to-be created markets.
Commutation Efforts
Of course, the key factor in marketing and the marketing mix, is to uphold strong communication and communication tools. There are three highly important changes that occur when focusing on the communication. The first one is that you start from theme to statement. Secondly, you go from seduction to mentality sharing. Last, there is a big change from integrated communications to that of a consistent behavior. The communication must be formed into a complete and attractive campaign, e.g. a brand promotion or launch of a new product.
So, when aligned, it shows the next big differences:
- Positioning is based purely on communicating added values, concepting on concepts.
- Positioning relies on a brand’s surface, concepting on a brand’s ‘’soul’’.
- Positioning is guided by specific, existing markets, concepting by a wide range of existing and still-to-be created markets.
Commutation Efforts
Of course, the key factor in marketing and the marketing mix, is to uphold strong communication and communication tools. There are three highly important changes that occur when focusing on the communication. The first one is that you start from theme to statement. Secondly, you go from seduction to mentality sharing. Last, there is a big change from integrated communications to that of a consistent behavior. The communication must be formed into a complete and attractive campaign, e.g. a brand promotion or launch of a new product.
Summary of concepting - Celine
The definition of concepting: A general idea derived or inferred from specific instances or occurrences. Something formed in the mind; a thought or notion. A scheme; a plan
The definition of positioning: In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization.
Concepting and positioning
Several waves of positioning and repositioning have resulted in the slow crystallisation of many different markets. A small number of players have built strong brands and they manage to hold their leading positions, while others to keep up with the stronger brands and are forced to limit themselves to less attractive options like concentrating on cheaper or B brands. These limited persons are the losers when it comes to the battle of a good position in the consumers mind. It should be clear that in its focus on the communication and on winning over the consumer’s mind, positioning is a precursor to concepting.
There are three differences between concepting and positioning:
1). Positioning is based on communicating added values, concepting on concepts.
2). Positioning relies on a brand’s surface, concepting on a brand’s ‘soul’.
3) Positioning is guided by specific, existing markets, concepting by a wide range of existing and still-to-be-created markets.
In short positioning is the communication of added values. When a company that already has a particular product or service is getting into trouble because of market saturation the threat will be resorted through positioning, to add a particular distinctive expressive feature and trying to occupy a particular mental position. Concepting brings a concept such as a philosophy, an attitude, a value system or a mentality to the market. Under concepting, products can be removed as easily as they can be introduced.
Communication
Communication is no longer considered as a separate isolated activity but it is now part of the product. In the past communication was only used to add values to your product. That way of approach leads to a splitting of brand’s personality. To respond on this problem they used ‘integrated communication’ (all elements had to be brought together again to create a unified, common image). The integrated communication strives for a much more unity of communication form and content as possible. The campaign theme is very important in establishing the brand image in all communications forms from advertising, to folders, to store materials. This way of approach can work very well for companies that have the aim of getting the image of being a high-quality reliable and efficient organisation.
Competition
Companies that enjoy seeing themselves as specialists in the field can sometimes forget the most important thing when selling their brand and that is the consumer. In their enthusiasm for segment statistics they lose sight of the consumer. They also tend to underestimate the competition taking a different approach, and are blinded to the possibilities of imagining other markets. Apart from being underestimated by competitors, concept brands have the further advantage of being very difficult to compete against using imitation. In particular the vision of a company is not always completely ‘clear’ so that the competition has a hard time trying to copy and incorporate into their market-segment thinking. Problems that competitors can face when they try to deal with concepting companies is that it can happen that they will not be not taking seriously. This will give you a hard time on selling your product. To establish your brand you need to find other ways to get your brand well-known. It is smart to use a concept for your brand you can see that it already worked for other companies like SMH.
Summary of concepting - Kelly
Positioning
Strong brands can easily hold on to their position on the market. In contrast with smaller companies or brands, who are forced to limit themselves to less attractive options like B brands or cheaper productions.
Looking from a consumer's point of view these brands are the ones who loose.
Concepting is the next step from positioning. Though there are three differences between these two, namely:
1. Positioning is based on communicating added values, concepting on concepts.
2. Positioning relies on a brand's surface, concepting on a brand's soul.
3. Positioning is guided by specific, existing markets, concepting by a wide range of existing and still to be created markets.
Concepting in contrast to positioning brings a concept such as philosophy, an attitude, a value system or a mentality in the market. The Virgin concept for example has an extremely broad field of product possibilities, all of which, from airlines to cola's, radiate the concept's meaning.
Despite these differences it is clear that positioning is the forerunner of concepting, the strongest feature they have in common is the perception that distinct values are more important than distinct product features.
Communication
When it comes to a brand marketing mix it has all to do with communication. The main changes represented by total communications are:
• From integrated communications to consistent behaviour
• From theme to statement
• From seduction to mentality sharing
Communications used to add value in a way of a advertising campaign. Companies where really splitting their personality in the past. Some communications and tools where developed separately. A response on the split of the personality was integrated communications. Alle elements where brought together in a unified, common image.
A campaign theme can be very important to brands. Brands can really claim a certain look or sound in their branding by making campaigns. Total communications on the other hand contains all types of brand behaviour. This will contribute to the fact that in the future the communication of the concept is not limited to a certain form.
Marketing
Many companies aim to be a marketleader. This will give them a great status and will deliver a lot of money. However companies that see themselves as specialists can pay less attentiont to what's really important, namely, the consumers.
Next to that they also underestimate competion of companies who are taking a different approach. The best way is to introduce yourself as being hard to copy. That way it will be hard to compete and consumers will reconize your brand as being unique in the market.
This is something that happend to Swatch ( the Swiss watch making company). They were'nt taken seriously by the competitors. As it turned out Swatch has become the most succesfull watch concept ever. They did this just by being unique and use a different industry approach.
