Concepts of Differentiation and Positioning: The Story of Adidas
- Goitseone Never Malatsi
- Aug 16, 2023
- 3 min read
Why are differentiating and positioning a brand so important? Do consumers even pay attention to brands, their differences, and how they stand out from each other? Or do consumers simply pick and choose what is available? These are all valid questions that brands such as Adidas continue to answer and exceed people's expectations. From the brand growth of Adidas, we have learned that differentiating and positioning are indeed important.
What exactly are differentiation and positioning of brands? It is very easy to assume that there is no difference between the two terms and that they mean the same thing; however, each of the two plays a pivotal role
Differentiation of a brand is a unique process undertaken by companies that seek to make their products and services stand out distinguishably from their competitors in order for their products or services to be selected in the "selection set".
The selection set is the group of brands that a consumer bands together based on the perceived qualities that the brands share in common. The consumer then proceeds to select the brands that stand out from the others and could meet their expectations. It is therefore imperative for your brand to be differentiated. Brand positioning, on the other hand, simply plays the role of creating a room in the consumer's mind where your brand will occupy a space . In this room, your brand will be easily distinguishable from competitors' brand offerings. Adidas is one of my favorite brands, but objectively speaking, this is one of the brands that has continued to evolve, differentiating and positioning itself to be perceived differently from its biggest competitors, Nike and Puma.
Adidas: The multifaceted approach to Differentiation and Positioning
Adidas, in essence, is a sportswear manufacturer. It mostly focuses on sporting goods, athletic shoes, and apparel. Sportswear is a very competitive industry, requiring various brands to think outside the box and stand out. Their two biggest competitors are Nike and Puma. With Nike differentiating and positioning itself as a brand with followers who "Just do it" and Puma with followers that follow "Forever faster is always first, never second, never third" Adidas had to differentiate itself as the brand whose followers believe that "Impossible is nothing". This statement speaks volumes, Adidas communicates its difference not only with its brand mantra but through the quality of its products as well. It progressively conveyed itself and occupied a room in the consumer mind as the go to brand for people that want to use quality products, people that want to be inspired, and people that believe and know that they can achieve anything while using a product with those three unique stripes.
Among its competitors, Adidas is the creative brand that is not afraid to push boundaries and has created a niche for creatives that can resonate with the athletic brand. Kanye West is one of the many people who believe that "Impossible is nothing". The brand positioning and how Adidas conveys itself as a brand that goes beyond boundaries resonated very well with the artistic creativity of Kanye West. Adidas partnered with the artistic musician and exponentially grew its own brand, cementing itself even further as a brand that is distinctively multifaceted.
What is Adidas different from? It's totally clear that Nike, Puma, and Adidas all provide athletic products, but what's similar and what's different? Well, firstly, all the brands provide quality products, they all target the sports/athletic markets, which puts all of them in the same "selection set". However, things start to change when you listen to how the brands try to differentiate themselves. Nike boasts of providing variety in quality, Puma boasts of being a sports lifestyle brand that blends sports and lifestyle together, and Adidas is customer centric and boasts of its ability to accommodate many different people. This is one of the many things that sets adidas apart, and this has benefited them by making them one of the biggest brands to ever be known in the world. Many different people can approach Adidas and use the brand's offerings because it inspires a variety of people. Additionally, Adidas is now known as a quality brand associated with quality products. These various perceptions have helped Adidas gain market share against competitors and even reach into its competitors markets.
In conclusion, Adidas by its nature is an ever evolving brand that is not afraid to push boundaries. This brand trait will help it become the number one brand in the athletic industry.
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