Retail positioning strategies. Construction of positioning maps. Positioning Map Marketing Perception Map Example

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

ALL-RUSSIAN FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC INSTITUTE

Test

by discipline

"Marketing"

Product positioning and positioning strategy. Buying patterns

Executor:

Faculty: accounting and statistics

Specialty: accounting, analysis and audit

Personal file number:

Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… .2

Main part: …………………………………………………………………… .3

1. Positioning of goods. Positioning strategy ……………… 3

2. Models of purchasing behavior …………………………………… ... 10

3. Test ………………………………………………………………………… .13

Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………… ... 14

References …………………………………………………………… ..16

Introduction.

The term "marketing" comes from the English market - market and literally means activities in the field of the market. However, in an economic sense, marketing is a broader concept that includes a thorough and comprehensive study of the market, as well as active influence on the market, the formation of needs and consumer preferences. To connect the manufacturer and the consumer, to help them find each other - this is the main goal of any marketing activity.

In the conditions of market relations, and especially in the period of transition to the market, marketing is one of the most important economic disciplines. The effective functioning of the entire national economy depends on how correctly the marketing system is built.

For better promotion of products on the market, careful study is necessary. this market as well as factors influencing customer behavior. For this purpose, a number of concepts and principles have been created in marketing science, such as the consumer market, purchasing behavior, market segmentation, product positioning, etc.

The purpose of this test is to study the positioning of a product in the market and what positioning strategies a company can use to promote its product, as well as a model of purchasing behavior in the process of deciding on a purchase.

Main part.

1. Positioning of goods. Positioning strategies.

Product positioning is the definition of its place in the market among other similar goods from the point of view of the consumer himself. The result of positioning is specific marketing actions for the development, distribution and promotion of a product to the market.

Positioning steps:

1. Set definition competitive advantages;

2. Selection of competitive advantages corresponding to the goals of the company

3. Formation and consolidation of the chosen position in the market.

Competitive advantages are the advantages a company gains over competitors by offering customers more value, either through lower prices, or greater benefits that offset higher prices.

Practical positioning - establishing how these products differ from similar products of competitors. The difference is determined using a “map” of the competitive position in the coordinates of features that are essential for the consumer. Typically, product positioning is done using maps divided into 4 quadrants (Figure 1.1).

Rice. 1.1... A typical example of product positioning taking into account consumer clusters

When positioning, the choice of the optimal segment is decided and the supplier takes the optimal position within this segment. The decision “what position the product should take” determines the input to the process of the product or service strategy, and the way to achieve this is the strategy itself.

Positioning maps are the most popular way to visually represent a firm's capabilities. So, if we identify the ideal preferences of consumers, as well as the place of goods and products of competitors in relation to their preferences, we will be able to analyze marketing opportunities. Below is an example of a margarine market positioning map:

Fig 1.2. Margarine market positioning map

This card identifies two key properties that are important to consumers: 1) "foams when fried" and 2) "cholesterol content." The map allows you to see that Merete margarine is perceived as a leader in both properties. In the case when there are more properties that distinguish the product, a multivariate analysis is carried out. However, it is often easier and more effective to work with two properties at the same time and try to identify overlaps.

The company, through marketing, undertakes certain actions aimed at taking a favorable position in the minds of the target group of consumers, that, unlike other products, this product was created specifically for them. After selecting the segment that the company intends to serve, an analysis of the competitors in it should be carried out. Taking into account the positions occupied by competitors, the company can use two options for determining its market position:

1. Take a place next to one of the competitors and fight for dominance in this segment. An enterprise can consciously do this on the basis of the following: 1) it can create a more competitive product than a competitor; 2) the market is large enough to accommodate several competitors; 3) the enterprise has more significant resources than the competitor and / or 4) the chosen policy most fully meets the competitive capabilities of the enterprise.

2. Creation of a product of market novelty in accordance with the needs of consumers. Buyers (consumers) are very impressed when a commodity producer, meeting their wishes and requirements, improves his products, creates their modifications, equipping the goods with new additional characteristics. However, before making such a decision, the management of the enterprise must make sure that there are: 1) technical capabilities to create a unique product; 2) economic opportunities for creation and production within the boundaries of a reasonable price level; 3) a sufficient (to allow profitable sales) number of potential buyers who prefer this kind of product. A positive response to these conditions means that the manufacturer has found a promising "niche" in the market and is ready to take appropriate measures to fill it.

Positioning strategy- the dominant line of action to gain a competitive advantage in the market segment, developed as part of the product positioning. The following positioning strategies are distinguished:

· By product attributes, for example, low price, high quality, novelty;

· Depending on the benefits of the product for the consumer, for example, the production of toothpaste that prevents caries;

· According to the circumstances of use, for example, a soft drink in the summer can be positioned as a means of replenishing the loss of fluid by the human body, and in winter it is recommended for people who are prescribed by doctors to consume a lot of fluid;

· Intended for certain types of users, for example, "mild" shampoos for children; aimed directly at a competitor, for example, the superiority of the product in some attribute over the product of a specific competitor is ensured;

It is possible to use combinations of these positioning strategies, for example, positioning according to the price-quality ratio, it is shown in Fig. 1.3

Product quality		1. Strategy of premium markups	2. High price strategy	3. Super-price strategy
		4. Overpricing strategy	5. Average price strategy	6. Good price strategy
		7. Robbery strategy	8. False Saving Strategy	9. Economy strategy

Rice. 1.3... Nine strategies for value for money

Strategies 1, 5 and 9 can be implemented simultaneously in the same market, when one company offers high quality products at a high price, another offers average quality at an average price, and the third works with low quality products at a high price. low prices... Competitors coexist peacefully as long as the market has three groups of buyers: quality-oriented, price-oriented, and both factors together. Positioning strategies 2, 3, and 6 represent ways to attack diagonal positions. Strategy 2's motto is: "Our product is of the same high quality as competitor 1, but our prices are much more attractive." Strategy 3 adherents offer even greater savings. They may be able to convince quality-oriented consumers to save money (unless the Sector 1 product is particularly attractive to snobs).

Positioning strategies 4, 7, and 8 are characterized by an overpricing of the product in relation to its quality, which can lead to customer complaints and the spread of notoriety about such a company. Professional market players should avoid such strategies.

Positioning strategy can also be offensive and defensive.

Offensive (attacking) strategy associated with product assortment management. With the expansion of the assortment, the market share increases (part of the market is taken away from competitors), it becomes difficult for competitors to withdraw their products, and their competitive positions are strengthened. But the expansion of the assortment intensifies the competition of its own variants of the product, accompanied by an increase in production and marketing costs. In some cases, the company uses the tactics of repositioning or focusing attention on a new product characteristic in assortment management.

Defensive positioning can be based on the strategy "fortress on the island". Its essence lies in the fact that options for a product (or brand), positioned as expensive and high quality, are protected from price competition by cheaper options intended for buyers whose demand is price elastic.

The effectiveness of positioning will ultimately be tested by the market itself, but to bring a novelty to the market requires reasonable, proper marketing support, an important component of which is the promotion of the product to the market (communication policy).

So, the motives for buying in the target group during positioning should be supported by the marketing characteristics of the product and its competitive advantages and features. At the same time, as a rule, seven conditions are highlighted that are necessary for choosing the correct positioning in the market:

· Have a good understanding of the real position of the brand in the mind of the buyer (that is, the degree of brand awareness and the degree of brand loyalty);

· Know the positioning of competing brands, especially the main competitors;

· Choose your own position and arguments for its justification (i.e. marketing characteristics + purchase motives = positioning = advertising reasoning);

· Evaluate the potential profitability of the selected position;

· Make sure that the brand has sufficient potential to achieve the desired positioning in the mind of the buyer;

· Assess the vulnerability of positioning (do we have enough resources to take and defend the chosen position);

· Make sure that the chosen positioning is consistent with other marketing factors (price, communication and sales).

As for the choice of positioning strategies, here one can proceed from several reasons - purchase motives, competitive advantages of a product, symbolic value of a product, availability of additional amenities or services, service, guarantees, differences from competing brands (the latter strategy is called "detachment from a competitor") ... Thus, J. Wind identifies six alternative ways of brand positioning:

· Positioning based on the distinctive quality of the product;

• positioning based on benefits or on solving a problem;

· Positioning based on a particular way of using;

· Positioning focused on a certain category of buyers;

· Positioning in relation to a competing brand;

· Positioning based on a break with a certain category of goods.

2. Models of purchasing behavior.

In the past, market leaders have learned to understand their customers through their daily interactions with them. However, the growing size of firms and markets has deprived many marketing managers of direct contact with their customers. Increasingly, marketers have to resort to consumer behavior research.

Consumer behavior- a set of people's actions in the process of choosing, buying and using products and services to satisfy their own needs and desires. The study of consumer behavior offers answers to the question of what people buy, how they buy. Therefore, businesses and professionals spend a lot of effort researching the relationship between marketing incentives and consumer responses. The starting point for all these efforts is the model shown in Fig. 2.1. It shows that marketing incentives and other stimuli enter the “black box” of the buyer's consciousness and cause certain responses [2, p. 186-187].

Rice. 2.1. Buying Behavior Model

It shows that marketing incentives and other stimuli enter the “black box” of the buyer's mind and elicit certain responses. Marketing incentives include four elements: product, price, distribution and incentive. Other irritants are composed of the main forces and events in the buyer's environment; economic, scientific, technical, political and cultural environment. Having passed through the “black box” of the buyer's consciousness, all these stimuli elicit a series of observable shopper reactions represented in the right rectangle: product selection, brand selection, dealer selection, purchase timing, purchase volume selection. The task of the market operator is to understand what is happening in the “black box” of the consumer's consciousness between the arrival of stimuli and the appearance of responses to them. The "black box" itself consists of two parts. The first is the customer's characteristics, which have a major impact on how a person perceives and responds to stimuli. The second part is the purchasing decision-making process on which the result depends.

According to the latest research by The Nielsen Company, when shopping in stores, consumers are subject to one of four buying decision models, depending on the product category.

1. Inertial model, or "autopilot": making a purchase decision

done by inertia or out of habit; the level of susceptibility to external

the impact is minimal.

2. Variable model, or "search for diversity": the buyer is looking for new tastes, options, formats.

3. Model "Active mode": the buyer is sensitive to attractive ads and other means of pre-store activity and "noise" around the product.

4. "Find the best price" model: the buyer is sensitive to promotions and discounts.

Consumers are not willing to waste energy on day-to-day decisions. To make life easier for themselves, they often make purchases “on autopilot,” including an inertial model, and make decisions in favor of a particular product, regardless of labels or price. In this case, the choice of a particular brand is determined by habit. At these times, consumers are not ready to try something new, and marketers will have to work very hard to come up with a strategy that will allow them to shift the attention of consumers. These "autopilot" categories are coffee, cereals, cheese, margarine and mayonnaise.

However, this rule does not apply at all in the "activated" categories, where consumers are sensitive to advertising and "noise" around the product. The Nielsen study found that “activated” categories include young categories such as energy drinks, sports drinks, ready-to-drink tea (iced tea), drinking yoghurt, and the old category chocolate.

When purchasing products from the list of "activated" categories, consumers turn off the "autopilot". Instead, their focus is on finding alternatives. To successfully promote products in these categories, you need to generate constant "buzz" around your brand through active advertising, the introduction of new options and innovative packaging that will make the product stand out on the shelf and attract the attention of consumers.

When purchasing products belonging to "variable" categories, "autopilot" is also disabled. Consumers quickly tire of the same taste and are constantly looking for interesting and innovative products. The "variable" mode is activated, in particular, when customers walk along the rows with frozen products (semi-finished products). In this context, bright and informative packaging plays a dominant role in attracting the attention of the consumer, as well as a means of influencing purchasing decisions. These "variation" categories include, for example, cookies, chewing gum, salad dressings, and sauces.

When shopping in “bargain” categories, the consumer compares prices and is mindful of promotions. The study revealed that these categories include different kinds canned food - from fish, tomatoes, fruits.

3. Test. Highlight the action that is characteristic of "observation".

A. Collecting inventory data.

B. Measurement and recording of the results of the daytime work of the store.

Conclusion.

The modern consumer market is highly dynamic. The current needs of customers, the performance of competitors and the technologies used are constantly evolving. At the same time, both the intensity and the scale of competition are growing. In such conditions, success is determined by non-standard approaches to identifying new market segments and additional product qualities. This creates difficulties for firms targeting a single niche, as over time niches of higher value products attract attention. large companies looking for new ways of development.

Each product certainly requires promotion on the market, which means the need for high-quality and original advertising, various promotions to promote the product. In addition, it is highly desirable for an enterprise to have as wide a network as possible. retail sales or a network of intermediary organizations, unless, of course, it is engaged in very large and expensive production, such as the production of aircraft carriers. Such a network must have a high level of service, since today's customer is accustomed to high-quality service and a wide range of additional services... And only by fulfilling all these requirements, the company can count on the fact that it will be able to take a firm place in the heart of the buyer. The most important thing in knowing and meeting the needs of the buyer is to study his opinion about the firm's products, competing products, problems and prospects for the life and work of consumers. Only by possessing this knowledge can the needs of consumers be satisfied to the fullest extent.

Positioning is the development and creation of an image of a product in such a way that it takes a worthy place in the mind of the buyer, which differs from the position of competitors' products, as well as a set of marketing elements with the help of which people need to impress that this product was created especially for them, and that it can be identified with their ideal.

The purpose of positioning is to help potential buyers to distinguish a given product from among its counterparts-competitors for some reason and to give preference to it when buying. In other words, positioning is aimed not only at determining the possible place of a product on the market now and in the future, but rather at strengthening its competitive position in a specific market segment by creating preferred incentives for potential buyers to consume it.

Positioning maps are used both for developing a marketing strategy and for solving planned tasks. The most important of them is the formation of prerequisites for distinguishing our product from competitive offers. Positioning maps also serve to segment the market into subcategories to suit different customer needs. They are also used to identify and mark the benefits of a product in such a way that they can be told about them in advertising messages and other marketing programs to the appropriate target audience. Positioning maps identify areas of unmet need that can be met by new products or adapting existing products to them.

Consumers do not make their buying decisions in a vacuum, so through marketing the business must identify all target customers and determine how the buying decision is going. The most important thing in knowing and meeting the needs of the buyer is to study his opinion about the firm's products, competing products, problems and prospects for the life and work of consumers. Only by possessing this knowledge can the needs of consumers be satisfied to the fullest extent.

Bibliography

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"We pass the exam series" - Rostov n / a: "Phoenix", 2001 - 384 p.

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Denis Fedorov c. e. n., early. marketing department of the company "Mobile Councils"

Product positioning is one of the most important stages in the development of a company's marketing strategy. The general concept of positioning, first substantiated by E. Rice and J. Trout, assumed that in conditions of excess supply, the perception of consumers, as a rule, is not able to effectively perceive the next new product or service. In order for the consumer to be able to fix a new product in his mind, it is necessary to make room for him by generalizing and, accordingly, condensing his knowledge about similar goods and services. At the same time, it is important to unite in his mind all similar goods into a single group, convincing the consumer that the differences between the elements of this group are insignificant, and to present or oppose this group with a new trademark in the “cleared space”. To prevent new information from being re-grouped by the consumer at his own discretion, it is important to link it to the satisfaction of his most important needs. And finally, only clearly and succinctly conveying to the consumer the most important aspects of a new product or service, one can hope that they will steadily remain in his oversaturated mind.

To do this, it is important to clearly define the market positions of the existing products of competitors and your own product, to determine their similarities and differences, which allows you to identify the advantages and disadvantages of a particular market position.

The market position of a product is the opinion, first of all, of a certain group of consumers, target market segments regarding the most important properties of the product. It characterizes the place occupied by a particular product in the minds of consumers in relation to the product of competitors. The product should be perceived by the target segment as having a clear image distinguishing it from competitors' products.

Determining the market position for its product, the company is engaged in its positioning.

The positioning of the product, therefore, consists of development activities trade offer company and its image, aimed at taking a separate favorable position in the minds of the target group of consumers. In this sense, the company, based on the assessments of consumers in the market for a particular product, selects those parameters and elements of the marketing mix that will ensure its advantages in the eyes of consumers.

Thus, positioning is primarily a struggle for consumer consciousness through marketing tools. However, a product can be successfully differentiated by attributes that significantly distinguish the product, but are not really related to creating a competitive advantage. It is clear that many companies create and advertise real competitive advantages that differentiate their products, and yet the quality of the product image and the marketing tools chosen for this are no less important than its real merits.

The end result of positioning a product or service is the successful creation of a market-oriented product value proposition: a simple and clear statement of why consumers in the target segment should buy the product. For positioning a product, a company can choose one or more differences in its product that differentiate it from competitors' products. To do this, it is extremely important to find out how the target segment views the goods already on the market, whether there are differences between them in the minds of consumers, and by what indicators they currently differ from each other.

Which indicators of differentiation are perceived by consumers as significant and which as insignificant? Is there a free position on the market for our product? What place does it occupy in relation to competing products? Is this position favorable?

Obviously, for this it is necessary to make some kind of comparison between the existing trademarks according to certain indicators. If you express the end result in a graphical form, it will give us a visual idea of ​​their similarities or differences. The resulting positioning map or perception map will serve as a visual tool for deciding on the positioning of our product or brand.

In many companies, this is how the issue is resolved. An arbitrary, depending on the personal considerations of the marketing specialist, the choice of two or three indicators is carried out, representing the most important properties of the product, such as price, taste, etc. about the products presented on the market, a graph is built (Fig. 1), which demonstrates the differences between the products of the company and competitors according to the selected indicators.

Picture 1
Differences between the products of the enterprise and competitors according to the selected indicators

This approach to perceptual mapping is described in all marketing textbooks. Its apparent simplicity makes it difficult for marketers to understand its shortcomings.

Firstly, two main indicators are used to evaluate goods in a two-dimensional plane - taste and price of the goods. There is no guarantee that they are the criteria for distinguishing products of different enterprises in the mind of the consumer.

Secondly, other indicators by which consumers can evaluate products are immediately dropped out of the analysis. Their influence is not taken into account.

The problem with this approach is that, existing in three dimensions, we can only construct a system of objects in one, two or three dimensions. A larger number of measurements, in our case, indicators characterizing products, can only be described analytically. Therefore, to construct a perception map, which would not have the above disadvantages, methods of multidimensional scaling are used.

Multidimensional scaling is a field of mathematical psychology, and its first task is the analysis of subjective perception. In this sense, multidimensional scaling is an ideal tool for creating a positioning map, which, in fact, reflects the subjective perception of the target segment of certain objects (goods or trade marks) in the space of incentives, in our case - positioning indicators, for example, price - taste.

In the general case, the method of multidimensional scaling makes it possible to locate a significant set of object characteristics (n> 3) in a space of a lower dimension, for example, the most convenient two-dimensional or three-dimensional space for visual perception. In this case, the new dimension of a smaller order will be expressed in the form of implicit variables that aggregate the basic properties of the initial indicators. A certain part of the information is lost in this case, however, due to some loss of the initial information, we get the opportunity to visually observe and compare the location of objects in relation to each other.

In our case, the objects can be trade marks or goods that are evaluated by the consumer according to a certain number of indicators that form a multidimensional space. Using the method of multidimensional scaling, the multidimensional space of indicators is reduced to two- or three-dimensional, while the axes of the two-dimensional space are formed by implicit variables.

The technique of such an algorithm is rather complicated, therefore, at present, the multidimensional scaling procedure is carried out exclusively on the basis of modern software such as SPSS or Statistica.

The quality of the resulting model, i.e. the quality of compression of the original dimension from the standpoint of preserving the original information is most often investigated using the S-stress indicator proposed by Takein and RSQ. Without going into a technical description of these indicators, we note that a close to zero S-stress indicator means a good fit of the model, close to one means a low quality of the results obtained. And on the contrary, RSQ, close to one, speaks about the high quality of the model, close to zero - about its meaninglessness.

Let's consider an example of using multidimensional scaling to create a perception map and select, on its basis, the market position of a product in more detail.

Since in the process of the multidimensional scaling procedure the attitude of the consumer to the product or service is assessed, it is obvious that the initial information will be the attitude of the consumer to the marketing complex (4P) of the companies under study, the concentrated expression of which is the final product, i.e., the attitude to the product itself, its price, distribution channels and means of promotion. It is these aspects, with varying degrees of detail, which is determined by the specifics of the product or brand under study, are proposed to be assessed by potential consumers.

Table 1

Figure 2
Perception map

We have carried out a comparative assessment retail chains salons cellular in Moscow. The following companies were selected as objects for the multidimensional scaling procedure - retail dealers of equipment and communication services in Moscow: Euroset, Anarion, Techmarket, Mac-Center, Mobile Center, Mobile Councils, Dixis.

Sampling by this study amounted to 650 people, while the permissible deviations should not exceed 6.5%. Interviewed persons aged 16 to 65 years, using mobile communication and having mobile phone at the time of the survey (as a criterion for checking membership in the general population). The survey was conducted in February-March 2002.

The following indicators were used as a set of elements describing the 4P of these networks:

• breadth of assortment,
• after-sales service quality,
• price level,
• geography retail outlets,
• interior and POS materials,
• means of promotion.

A standard question to the respondent in this context, for example, to assess the breadth of the assortment, was as follows: "Please mark in the table if, in your opinion, the proposed characteristic corresponds to the quality of the company's work?" (Table 1).

The processing of the answers of the respondents - representatives of the target segment of our company (“quality lovers”) - by the method of multidimensional scaling made it possible to obtain the following perception map (Fig. 2).

The map shows a grouping of brands of companies according to the specified attributes of their activities in a two-dimensional space. At the same time, the S-stress indicator was 0.13, and the RSQ indicator was 0.967, which indicates the high quality of the resulting model.

Examining this relationship for correlation, we obtain the following table of rank correlations between the attribute and each of the dimensions (Table 2).

The table shows the correlation coefficients between the coordinates (indicators) of each of the attributes for the specified dimensions and the indicators of each of the studied companies by attributes. Accordingly, a high correlation coefficient between them indicates a significant contribution of this particular indicator to the meaningful interpretation of the measurement.

table 2

Thus, the first dimension describes the geography of retail outlets, interior and POS materials, quality of after-sales service and means of promotion. In essence, it can be interpreted as the comfort of contacting the company. The origin separates companies as generally less comfortable for the client (to the left of the axis) and more comfortable (to the right of the axis).

The second dimension describes characteristics such as assortment breadth, quality of service, price level and, in some way, after-sales service. Its meaningful interpretation is the overall quality of the services provided to the client. The coordinate axis divides companies into providing more quality services to the client (above the origin) and lower quality (below the origin).

Analyzing the map of perception, it can be noted that in the eyes of the consumer, the companies Dixis, Mobile-Center, Techmarket and Anarion practically do not differ from each other in terms of the comfort level of contacting the company. Differences in their quality characteristics among these brands are also insignificant, however, it can be noted that Dixis and Mobile Center as a whole, according to the research results, are located higher along this axis than Techmarket and Anarion.

The adjoining Euroset seems to clients less comfortable and reliable than this group, although the overall quality of its services in the eyes of the client is slightly higher.

Mobile Councils occupy the upper right corner of the map, significantly differing from competitors in terms of the overall quality of services provided, and in terms of ease of use and reliability, they practically do not differ from most of them.

Finally, the Mac-Center company, possessing an approximately average level of quality of services provided to the client, is generally perceived by clients as much less comfortable than most of the companies present on the market.

In general, we can conclude that, in terms of the totality of characteristics for consumers, there is no clear difference between most of the companies under study from each other, which provides them with significant opportunities to differentiate their product and positioning strategy.

Thus, the use of the multidimensional scaling procedure, in comparison with the traditional compilation of a perception map, allows one to obtain a much larger amount of information and provide its meaningful interpretation, which makes it possible to make more effective decisions when developing a company's positioning strategy.

Positioning map

The simplest way to determine the position of an enterprise in the target market segment is the method of building a positioning map. A positioning map is a two-dimensional matrix that represents competing businesses. When searching for the position of an enterprise in a target market segment, one of the varieties of a positioning map is most often used - a perception map.

A perception map interprets the positions of all enterprises in the market from the point of view of their perception by customers. It is based on the results of in-depth marketing research aimed at understanding how customers perceive a trading enterprise, what characteristics of the product range and services, as well as elements of the enterprise's image, in their opinion, are most important.

The construction of a perception map involves the following procedures:

1. Determination of the degree of significance of various characteristics trade service and elements of the image from the point of view of representatives of this target segment. This information is collected by asking target buyers about their criteria for rating when choosing between various sources purchases.

2. Selection of two positioning variables. To do this, use a variety of methods for ranking the importance of the characteristics of a trade service and elements of the image, for example, a scale of importance; calculating the weighted average assessment of the significance of each of the characteristics; constant sum method when. 100 points are distributed among the characteristics, and the most important of them receive a larger number of points, etc. Positioning variables are presented either as an integral indicator (for example, the range of goods, quality of shopping service, store design, etc.), or as a separate functional or an emotional characteristic of a sales service or an element of an image (for example, the breadth of the assortment, the number of additional services, the cleanliness of the sales area, the color scheme of the interior, etc.).

3. Determination of variants of values ​​of positioning variables. The values ​​of the selected positioning variables can be expressed quantitatively (for example, the time spent on paying for the purchase at the checkout point: option 1 - up to 1 minute, from 1 to 3 minutes, from 3 to 5 minutes, over 5 minutes; option 2 - 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes) or quality indicators (for example, the background music of the trading floor: option 1 - classical music, pop music, music from cartoons; option 2 - loud music, quiet music).

4. Determination of the values ​​of the integral indicator or individual characteristics of trade services and elements of the image for each competitor on the basis of studying the opinions of target buyers about these characteristics of competing enterprises.

Perception mapping is useful for any enterprise to understand its position in the target market segment in comparison with competitors. They help create more realistic and effective marketing programs. Perception maps are indispensable when reviewing a company's position in the market. In this case, the map shows not only the positions of competing enterprises, but also the position of the enterprise itself.

Before deciding on its own positioning, the firm needs to determine the position of competitors.

Let's make a motivated choice of variables for positioning on the basis of an assessment of the degree of importance (significance) for buyers of the characteristics of stationary telephones (type of phone, memory of a notebook, duration of an answering machine, speakerphone, backlight color), using the primary data of Appendix 2. Motivated choice is made for two selected earlier segments.

The initial and resulting data on the importance for buyers of product characteristics and other marketing factors are presented in Appendix No. 7.

In order to select the correct one from the calculated coefficients of the significance of the characteristics, we will calculate the threshold of significance. The correct coefficient of significance will be as close as possible to the threshold of significance.

The significance threshold is calculated by the formula:

where: n is the number of product characteristics.

In our case, n = 5. Then the significance threshold is 0.2.

For product positioning, those characteristics of the product are selected for which the coefficient of significance is maximum and exceeds the threshold of significance. But after considering the parameters and this is the type of video camera and the price, it is clear that competitors in this case fully satisfied the needs of buyers. For this reason, it will be advisable to consider the second most important characteristics.

Based on the calculated threshold of significance, we determine what the most important characteristics will be: autonomous operation and the color of the video camera.

In our case, two positioning variables are selected. Therefore, for the subsequent analysis, it is advisable to use a graphical presentation of information in the form of a positioning scheme for competitors' products. Having determined the preferences of buyers - members of the target segment about the ideal combination of two characteristics of the product - positioning variables, we draw up a positioning map of consumer preferences (Appendix No. 8).

Positioning of video cameras of companies is based on a comprehensive analysis of the positioning results of competitors' products and consumer preferences. For this, the schemes of consumer preferences and positioning of competitors' products (Appendix No. 8) merge into a pivot diagram (Appendix No. 9).

Analysis of the pivot diagram will allow you to choose one of the following two solutions (positioning strategies):

1. Position the firm's product next to the product of one of the competitors and enter into a fight with him for market share. The adoption of such a decision must be conditional on the presence of one or more of the following prerequisites:

§ the company can bring to the market a product that is superior in essential characteristics competitor's product;

§ the capacity of the segment is large enough to accommodate a company along with existing competitors;

§ the firm surpasses competitors with available resources and will be able to defend its interests in the event of an aggravation competitive struggle... This position is particularly consistent with the strengths of the business and the existing capabilities of the firm.

2. Position the firm's product aside from competitors' products, finding a "gap" or "niche" in the market segment. The prerequisites for making such a decision are:

§ availability of the fundamental ability of the company to bring the relevant product to the market;

§ availability of economic opportunities for the company to bring the relevant product to the market within the planned price level;

§ the presence of a sufficient number of buyers of the goods for the company to receive the planned profit and capture a significant share of the segment.

When analyzing our consolidated positioning map, we got a "niche", in which there is a sufficient number of buyers (15%) so that our company does not incur losses and can receive the planned profit. Since we will position our product aside from the products of competitors' firms, we choose a unique positioning strategy.

Based on this positioning map, we determine that it would be advisable to bring the product to the market, which will be blue, and the duration autonomous work will be up to 1 hour. With remote control, matrix resolution over 1.2 Mpix, Flash format, with sound, cost from 5001 to 10000 rubles. These are the requirements put forward by buyers in our "niche". The same indicator should be used in promotions on television, stands, magazines and so on.

Perceptual maps are currently a widespread research tool used in the development of advertising strategy and brand positioning. What is the essence of this tool and where are the limits of its application? Is a perception map some kind of objective tool for market and consumer analysis? Or is it just a charming illusion, a fairy tale for advertisers, according to which the whole history and conditions of existence of their brand fit into a two-dimensional space? What are the methods for collecting and analyzing the data required for mapping, and what are the main requirements for them? To understand these issues, a representative of the Advertising: Theory and Practice magazine met with representatives of reputable domestic research companies, IMCA and GFK, and based on these meetings, compiled a present review. It is attended by:

Alexey Molchanov is the head of the data analysis and processing department (IMCA), and Askhat Kutlaliev is the director of the data processing department (GFK). The article also uses comments from other IMCA staff: Olga Makarova (Research Director) and Alexander Lomizov (Senior Project Manager).

Perception maps: definition and application

Kotler's book Marketing Fundamentals says that perception maps are designed to visually depict the proximity between the position of products, brands, or market segments in the minds of consumers. The intimacy in question is subjective rather than objective. It is determined by the views, preferences and habits of people. All these determinants are grouped into several large factors, which indicate the axes of the perceptual map. For example, "price quality" or "Availability-satisfaction" ... Objects are located on the map in accordance with what averaged values ​​they received according to these factors. At the same time, Kotler leaves an open and controversial question, what does this map have to do with the real situation in the respondent's mind?

Askhat Kutlaliev gives a somewhat conservative estimate: “Perception map is attempt visually reflect what is going on in the minds of our potential consumers ".

People working in the research business are generally quite careful in their statements. Here you will not hear categorical statements, phrases like “100%” or “always” and “everywhere”. The research business teaches you to be careful with numbers and not jump to conclusions. The numbers are the main thing they have to deal with. The whole situation with perception is multidimensional and it is reflected in the form of a table. While the perceptual map is most often two-dimensional and it seriously simplifies the picture.

Alexey Molchanov: “A perception map is a visualization of data (tables, matrices, etc.) and the relationships hidden in them. No more. This is not some kind of in-depth analysis method, on the basis of which we can draw some statistical conclusions, calculate the significance of this or that parameter. " If every advertiser possessed knowledge in the field of mathematical statistics, would be able and willing to read tables, then he would not need such a map. But in most cases this is not to be expected, and the whole multidimensional picture is simplified to two or three axes. Of course, researchers are trying to calculate how adequate the location of each point on the map is, whether the overall picture is distorted due to such a simplification.

Perception map is a visual representation of the relationships between perceived objects in a multidimensional (usually two-dimensional) space, the adequacy of which is ensured by a set of statistical procedures.

A fair question arises - if two-dimensionality is so convenient for presenting research results to the customer, then how adequate it is from the point of view of the consumer himself, his perception.

According to Kutlalieva Research has shown that when making purchasing decisions, people do not operate with the entire set of indicators of a particular product. Subconsciously following the principle of saving time and effort, consumers, based on their experience, create some complex measures for evaluating a product / service. But in order to satisfy them, he has to sort out many small criteria when evaluating the goods. “For example, one of the most common assessment characteristics household appliances or electrical goods - reliability. What does it depend on? For example, from who developed, who made, where bought. All this is included in the concept of reliability. The second characteristic is functionality. Each person decides for himself what specific functions the purchased product should perform ”... In the questionnaire, a person is asked to evaluate brands not by these two main characteristics, but by all the indicators included in their composition that a potential consumer can think of. These indicators are formulated as statements about brands (in the professional language of researchers they are called “statements”). Examples of statements in this case will be: country of origin, warranty availability, etc.

“As a result, the map is built on the axes“ reliability ”and“ functionality ”, and the dots on it are the very statements that make up these motives. Ideally, they are grouped around each corresponding axis. " If, however, immediately in the questionnaire we offer consumers these two motives, then, in the opinion Kutlalieva, the data obtained will be ambiguous: “One consumer understands one thing under the same reliability, another - another. Therefore, it is better to split up first, and then unite, already understanding how many people, what statements he correlates with this motive. "... It is convenient for consumers to deal with a small number of evaluation criteria than to operate with a set of dozens of individual attributes, although at first glance it seems that they are considering each of them separately, it is just that most of the information processing goes unnoticed and on a subconscious level. Perceptual maps try to reveal these hidden patterns and visualize them.

Another feature of the axes on these maps is that they are built on the basis of how the statements are located, that is, inductively, not deductively. The axes don't even always draw, but simply represent areas of clustering of points and assume that they are the poles between which this invisible axis runs.

Perception map points - the location of perception objects (brands, product categories or tested products) and evaluative statements relative to each other on the perception map.

Perceptual map axes are coordinate axes (often two or three) stretched between points (groups of points) of polar statements corresponding to the main motives (criteria) of making a purchase decision, preferences in choosing a brand or consumption situations.

Perceptual maps, due to their visibility, create many illusions about the actual perception of the brand and the possibilities for its development. For example, it is not clear to everyone that the map is the interaction of brands with each other. From this it follows that a card built on 4 stamps will be one, and a card built on 5 stamps will be different. Everything or almost everything will change. The same goes for utterances. Alexey Molchanov: “The only way you can keep the map as you increase the number of stamps is to introduce the new stamp as an additional point. The difference between this point and others is that it does not participate in the calculation of the coordinate system, does not affect the relative position of the remaining points. "

Fields of application of perceptual maps

Most often, in the practice of marketing research, perceptual maps are used for a visual graphical presentation of data on how, from the point of view of consumers, brands are located in the space of image characteristics. Such maps help to better understand the product category as such: what factors are guided by consumers when evaluating brands, what are the qualitative properties of these factors, how wide is the range of generalized factors, is this product category and its individual segments stable or, conversely, dynamic.

Perception maps also allow you to determine the similarities and differences between brands, which characteristics are more strongly associated with a particular brand, to identify competing brands.

Example 1. Brand perception map. Mineral water market

The example shows a map of the perception of mineral water. First of all, it should be noted that in the minds of consumers, brands of mineral water are, first of all, divided according to the severity of their medicinal properties. This factor is located along the horizontal axis of the map and divides brands into “medicinal” (grades A, B, C), and “non-medicinal, drinking”, associated with daily consumption, thirst quenching, good and refreshing taste.

A closer look at the "medicinal" brands revealed that the A grade is perceived as a product with a higher content of salts and minerals, and, accordingly, as an exclusively medicinal product. Grades B and C are less closely associated with the image of mineral water used exclusively for medicinal purposes, and thus have a positive potential to develop as classic mineral water brands suitable for daily use.

Similarly, perception maps can be built for product categories.

Example 2. Product category perception map. Confectionery market

The conclusions obtained on the basis of this map can be formulated as follows:

1. Sugar products are the most common and affordable products for consumers. They are associated with childhood, which apparently reflects the Soviet experience of many respondents. It is also important that they are the least associated with harm to health.
2. Floury products are associated with everyday consumption and simple hunger satisfaction.
3. Chocolate in the minds of consumers takes the place of a more prestigious product, is associated with stimulation mental activity, obtaining energy.

Perception maps help not only represent the image of brands or product categories, but also, for example, visualize the situational (example 3) or emotional (example 4) context of consumption.

The map presented in Figure 3 gives a clear understanding that there are categories that are closely associated with family consumption, there are categories associated almost exclusively with special cases, and there are with individual consumption and spontaneous purchases.

Example 3. Confectionery perception map. Consumption situations

As you can see from the map in Figure 4, the emotional background associated with the consumption of confectionery products can be divided into three main components:

Basic emotions of satisfaction. This factor is formed by the following statements: satisfaction, comfort, energy, calmness. Almost all floury products are associated with this group of emotions - cookies, gingerbread cookies, dryers / bagels, rolls / bagels, crackers, crackers and waffles.

WITH the strongest positive emotions- pleasure, inspiration, joy and delight - primarily associated with chocolate products. However, the group of products associated with these emotions also includes marshmallows / marshmallows, halva and oriental sweets.

A separate subgroup is made up of products, especially strongly related to the feeling of celebration- cakes / pastries and sets chocolates... Waffle cakes, although they fall into the main group of strong positive emotions, are still much weaker associated in the minds of consumers with the holidays than traditional cakes and sets of chocolates.

Emotions of "carelessness"- relaxation, carelessness, romance and fun. Of the confectionery itself, chewing marmalade is the closest to this group.

Also special attention deserve classic sugary products - dragee, toffee, caramel, marmalade. They cannot be clearly attributed to one of the groups of emotions. These foods are closest to the emotions associated with childhood memories.

Example 4. Confectionery perception map. The emotional context of consumption

Perception maps can also be a useful tool in presenting data on respondents' perception of any advertising and communication materials: names, logos, packaging designs, commercials, etc.

Example 5. Logo perception map

Features and varieties of building perception maps

All methods of constructing perception maps are divided into two large groups: maps of perception of product attributes (attributive) and maps of perception of proximity of products (non-attributive). In the first group of methods for a certain range of products, a consumer assessment of their properties / attributes is obtained. On the basis of this, a graphical representation of the structure of relationships between attributes, between products, or between attributes and products is already subsequently built. In the second group, consumers themselves must assess the proximity of certain products to each other and / or rank them according to a certain criterion. This type of cards is not considered in detail in this review, since it is used much less often.

Basic approaches to compiling perception maps:

Attribute perception maps are maps built on the basis of consumers' use of specific criteria for evaluating brands and products: their properties, attributes, consumption situations, motives, etc.
Non-attributive perception maps are maps built on the basis of comparing brands and products with each other, as well as ranking them according to the degree of preference without using explicitly designated comparison criteria.

One of the simplest attributive perceptual maps, according to Askhata Kutlalieva, is a map of opportunities and needs (Needs & Gaps Analysis). Most often it explores one specific brand. Based on the preliminary analysis, essential attributes of the product are highlighted, which are proposed to be assessed on two 5-point scales - importance and satisfaction. Respondents should rate how important this attribute is to them and how satisfied they are with it. As a result of the analysis, a map of perception of importance and satisfaction with attributes is obtained, divided into 4 quadrants (see illustration):

In this example, 8 product attributes A1-A8 were evaluated. This is how this map is parsed in GFK:

Upper Right Quadrant - High Importance, High Satisfaction

“This is a quadrant of the main or basic benefits of a given product. We see that three of the eight attributes are in this quadrant - A2, A6, and A7. The marketing strategy for these attributes is to maintain a level of importance, especially for attribute A6. "

Lower Right Quadrant - Low Importance, High Satisfaction

“A quadrant of secondary benefits or opportunities. Satisfaction with the A1 and A3 attributes is high, but their importance in the eyes of consumers is not as high as in the baseline. Possible marketing strategy- increasing the importance of attributes if the base attributes do not provide a great competitive advantage, or support if the base attributes are competitive. "

Upper Left Quadrant - High Importance, Low Satisfaction.

“In this quadrant we have one attribute - A5. This is the basic flaw in the product. From a marketing point of view, it is not promising, since satisfaction is more related to the properties of the product itself. For example, when planning an advertising campaign, you should either not mention this attribute in the advertising message, or, in the case of counter-advertising of the competitor (s), try to reduce the importance of the attribute. From a marketing point of view, improving the attribute and increasing satisfaction can be a backup advantage, especially if it is currently a common disadvantage with competitors. "

Lower Left Quadrant - Low importance, low satisfaction.

“This is ballast. And it's a pity to throw it away and it's hard to carry. Improving the attributes, in this case A8 and especially A4, requires a lot of effort, both marketing and production. At the same time, it can be the Achilles' heel of a product if these attributes are among the basic advantages of competing products. "

The interpretation of such a perception map is based on the assumption that respondents' judgments about product attributes are a manifestation of hidden factors they use to differentiate brands.

Askhat Kutlaliev demonstrates another possibility of maps - to show simultaneously different segments of consumers on one map and compare what statements they use to characterize a subcategory. The most common consumer segments in this case are those who prefer different product categories from this segment. For example, those who drink vodka more often than wine or cognac. Inside, each segment can be differentiated even more subtly - into those who drink every day, who drink once a week, and so on. After that, you can build a brand perception map, in this case, vodka brands (Gzhelka, Russian Standard, etc.). “There are all vodka producers who consume this product to one degree or another, and there are those who drink only one vodka. Suppose it turns out that the customer's brand is at a certain distance from these people, but in the immediate vicinity of them there are several statements that are significant to them. In order to "tie" them exactly, you need to use these statements in an advertising campaign. "

As a result of testing the perception of the products themselves, a map is obtained where the distances between the products and the tested attributes are visible: smell, taste, color, etc. True, to interpret the distance data, as specifies Alexey Molchanov, you need to be very careful: “I had a case when a mark and a certain statement were close to each other on the map. The frequency of their co-occurrence was approximately 20%, and the frequency of this brand and other statements was 10%. But for other brands, visually located further from this statement, the frequency of joint occurrence with this statement was even higher (at the level of 40%), just all the other statements were combined with them even more ”.

Collecting data for perceptual maps

The collection of information to measure the image of brands in all leading research companies is carried out in approximately the same way, in accordance with the basic rules according to which questionnaires are drawn up and interviews are conducted. Not all researchers adhere to these rules. In various articles on this topic, you can find information about research, where each respondent rates up to 40 marks for 60 statements, and each statement is presented in the form of a five-point scale.

From the point of view of the human factor, this approach is not only inadequate, but also harmful for research. Alexey Molchanov: "After the respondent has rated about 5 marks, he gets tired and his attention is significantly reduced." Professionals recommend using the following standard: the number of statements should be about 40-50. The number of brands is no more than 5. If brands need to be valued more, then a mechanism such as "rotation" is used. For example, part of the sample evaluates the first 5 stamps, the other part evaluates stamps from 6 to 10.

At the same time, rotation is used not only to distribute the top five or three brands among different groups respondents. Rotation is also used in order to eliminate the gallo effect, that is, the influence of the evaluation of the first brand on the evaluation of the next one. To minimize the influence of this factor, it is necessary for different respondents to offer brands in a different order.

Rotation is a technique used in collecting data in a study, and ensuring that different respondents are presented with different sets of objects or the same objects in a different order.

Sample size requirements are immediately increased as soon as rotation is applied in the study. It requires an increase in the sample. If 5 marks are evaluated using 40 statements, a full rotation would require the number of marks multiplied by the number of statements — that is, interview 200 respondents. And if there are more than 5 brands and additional rotation is carried out, the sample grows even more, but all these issues, as the professionals testify, are not as obvious to the customer as to them. As a result, there are studies on the market based on a sample of 100 people, and these offers find their buyer.

There is also a dilemma as to which statements to use: simple dichotomous or point scales. In the first case, the respondent simply expresses his consent or disagreement with the statement about the brand. In the second case, he needs to determine the degree of his agreement or disagreement. If a 5-point scale is used, then he marks such nuances as "rather agree" or "strongly agree", etc. Some types of statistical data analysis (factor analysis) require the use of at least 5-point scales, which significantly complicates the work of the respondents.

Another controversial issue is how to present the statements and the stamps themselves to the respondents: sort the cards, answer questions on scales, listen to the statements read out. This technical issue differs from agency to agency. The IMCA offers the respondent a stamped card and a set of statement cards. The respondent selects from cards with statements those that fit the evaluated brand. At the same time, the cards are not ranked among themselves in any way, for example, according to the degree of proximity to a given brand. Only two reactions of the respondent to the situation are taken into account: the choice of the card and not the choice.

Alexey Molchanov: “This is determined by the fact that we use the method of analysis of conformity. If we used factor analysis, we would be forced to use scales (for example, 5-point) to differentiate statements according to the degree of their proximity to the brand. Such an approach would significantly complicate their task for the respondents ”.

Why do IMCA use brand cards and not a list of them? Firstly, color cards of brands are used, on which there is a logo and a photograph of a product or a product line itself - this is closer to the real situation of choosing a product in a store. Using statements on separate cards allows you to offer them in different order to different respondents. The presence of only one statement on each card forces the respondent to concentrate only on it and not try to cover the whole sheet or catch something by ear, improves the quality of data collection.

GFK believes that cards, on the one hand, make life easier for the respondent, but, on the other hand, they seriously complicate the work of interviewers. The more complex the interviewing technique, the more likely it is that the interviewer - the “weakest link” of the research process - will either deliberately do what is easier or will make a mistake.

Askhat Kutlaliev: “We also use cards in some surveys, but we try to do such things, as far as possible, with the help of CAPI (computer assisted personal interviews), where the computer program itself regulates everything: and rotates the order of presentation of marks, statements, and transitions from one question to another, especially when filters are used. " This research method, which has long become common in the West, is not very common in Russia. It, of course, costs a little more than traditional methods, and companies in Russia do not spend as much on research as in Europe or America. But progress does not stand still: “Previously, the cost of these studies was very different from the usual. Now the difference in price is not so great. Soon almost every client will be able to afford them. " Technically, it looks like this: the interviewer is given a laptop with a sensitive screen. A program downloaded from a disk or sent to it via the Internet, in addition to the usual questions, can show cards in random order, or maybe ads scroll. And the respondent simply indicates the preferred option on the screen. As a result, the interviewer pays more attention to contact with the respondent, communication, and controls the interview process at a meaningful level.

CAPI (computer assisted personal interviews)- computerized interview technique.

IMCA also uses other, non-standard methods of data collection, for example, formalized diaries, in which respondents write down each time they consumed something. pastry... Respondents are offered an impressive list of subcategories of any products. They note that they ate three crackers in one go. Further, they are invited to note the time and circumstances of consumption, what mood they had at the moment when they ate or drank. This method solves the problem of analyzing real, not declared situations of consumption. The data obtained can also be analyzed using perception maps, tracing the relationship between the food consumed and the circumstances of consumption or, for example, the emotions experienced at the time of consumption.

Hypotheses for Perception Maps

There is already a well-established view among research market professionals about the role of qualitative research. They are needed, in particular, to help form hypotheses for quantitative research. Moderators at focus groups ensure that the widest possible range of statements on this issue is expressed at them, from the most extreme, marginal at one pole to the same at the other pole. From plus to minus, from ignorance to admiration.

GFK has its own quality research department, and IMCA encourages its clients to contact a company that specializes in quality research, and with which they have established cooperation. The experience of companies operating on the market for several years allows them to do without preliminary qualitative research in most product categories in order to formulate appropriate hypotheses. But if a new, little-studied category appears, then the client is most often recommended to conduct focus groups.

At the same time, statements from the focus group are not used directly, without reflection, in quantitative surveys. This method is considered only one of the sources of information when compiling a questionnaire for quantitative research. A focus group just helps to make sense of the category better.

Kutlaliev Askhat notes that as a result of quantitative research, some of the statements obtained in focus groups turn out to be at the noise level and are of no interest to marketers. For example, it may turn out that there are very few people who have this attitude to the brand. Therefore, they are of no value for some mass actions. However, if a company adheres to the principle of niche marketing, it is interested in small segments, then people who occupy this small niche are specially selected in order to only research them and then influence them. “In order, for example, to get an idea of ​​how people behave in relation to Martel cognac, you cannot interview everyone in a row, otherwise we will get 99% of marriage (blank questionnaires). We put a filter in the questionnaire (who drinks this cognac at least once a month) and begin to study them more deeply. In this case, completely different hypotheses obtained with the help of focus groups will be confirmed than in the case of most people who consume ordinary cognacs or generally spirits. "

The manufacturer cannot "reach out" to each individual person (both financially and physically), and he needs such statements that would affect as many people as possible, from those who interest him. As a result, the entire spectrum of opinions is narrowed down to about 20% in order to be able to appeal to very specific people.

GFK and IMCA have accumulated enough research experience to use hypotheses within a well-studied product category not only about statements, but also about the axes on which the perception map itself is built.

Math data statistics for perceptual maps

Perception maps can be built using discriminant, factor analysis, correspondence analysis and multidimensional scaling. Perception maps built using discriminant analysis in the given time are used very rarely. According to some researchers, it is factor analysis that is the most convenient and common. In the opinion of our interlocutors, factor analysis is the least convenient of all of the above. A. Kutlaliev: “In factor analysis, it is assumed that there is a factor that consists of many statements. For example, reliability. It is assumed that all statements included in this factor depend on it linearly. The more the degree of acceptance of a certain statement, for example, the country of the manufacturer, the more the perception of reliability increases. And this severely limits the data presented on the map. For example, the analysis of correspondences explains more than 80% of the data, since it does not contain a hypothesis regarding a linear relationship, and in factor analysis, less than half of the explained information can be obtained on the same data ”.

A. Molchanov offers the following generalized comparison of the three methods of analysis:

Factor analysis

Complex method in terms of data collection.

The use of dichotomous variables (for example, “agree - disagree”) in this case is unacceptable. The respondent must evaluate the characteristics of all brands on at least a 5-point scale (for example: “strongly agree, rather agree,” and so on), which is quite difficult for him, especially if building a perception map is only one of the research objectives, and questions related to it are only part of the questionnaire.

As a rule, the first 2 factors, which are often used to build a map, do not explain even half of the observed data (percentage of variance explained), which can distort the real picture. But the advantage of using factor analysis is the interpretability of the axes using factor loadings.

Compliance analysis

The optimal method from the point of view of the requirements for the collected data and the convenience of the analysis.

Data collection allows for the use of dichotomous variables (eg, “agree - disagree”), which simplifies the task for the respondent.

When building a map, it is found out how well each point (mark or statement) is represented in the selected space. This is calculated using the sum of the squares of the cosines along all selected axes. This method It also allows you to find points that are not obvious on a flat map along other axes, on which it is better represented.

In the analysis of correspondences, it is also possible to consider some points as additional (not affecting the calculation of coordinates), for example, in order to trace the dynamics of the brand image over a period.

One of the significant drawbacks of the analysis of correspondences is that the axes are interpreted based on the location of points of the same dimension: the axes for marks are named based on how the marks are laid, the axes for statements are named based on how the statements are laid. It is impossible to mix these interpretations (as in factor analysis).

Multidimensional scaling

The main source of data in multidimensional scaling is the matrix of affinities between brands. It can be built in many different ways. For example, direct questions about how similar each evaluated brand is to its competitors. If we use the usual method, when each brand is assessed separately according to the statements, then the proximity matrix is ​​built indirectly, using the assessment of the joint probability or the measure of the profile difference.

In general, multidimensional scaling allows brands to be placed in a space of some small dimension in this way in order to adequately reproduce the observed distances between them. At the same time, this method does not demonstrate the ratio of brands and statements. And the coordinate axes of the perception map are interpreted based on how the graded marks lie on each axis.

“All these methods are heuristic- emphasizes Alexey Molchanov - and we cannot say exactly how the results from the sample allow us to judge the perception of the brand by the entire population of consumers. For comparison, regression analysis, for example, allows us to assess our ability to summarize the results. "

The final point in the comparison of methods is put Askhat Kutlaliev: “In principle, you can always find some kind of mathematical apparatus that can process the data that we have. Conformance analysis offers the most minimal requirements for the nature of the data and is therefore preferred. Its use occurs most often precisely due to the versatility of this method. "

Features of the interpretation of perceptual maps

The visual presentation of information with the help of perceptual maps gives many the impression that it is enough to look at the picture, and everything will immediately become clear. This is especially true of those perception maps on which both stamps and statements are placed simultaneously, with the help of which stamps are evaluated.

Indeed, what could be simpler: since our brand is next to the words “good” and “well-known," then consumers perceive it as well-known and good! Success has been achieved!

However, research experience suggests that this conclusion is highly likely to be incorrect. When interpreting perceptual maps, we must take into account two limitations that prevent us from drawing such quick and simple conclusions:

The close relative position of one specific brand and one specific statement on the map does not mean their unambiguous proximity in the minds of consumers.
- the meaning that the respondent puts into the statement may differ from the meaning that the interpreter saw and understood.

First, let's take a closer look at the first limitation.

The map, in any case, cannot adequately reflect all the relationships between brands and statements. With the help of a map, we simplify large amounts of data, the structure of which cannot be identified visually, to a fairly simple picture. Naturally, in the course of this simplification, we lose some data.

The map gives us the opportunity to see the general patterns of the mutual arrangement of brands and the mutual arrangement of attributes. It follows from this that we should analyze the map as a whole, and not be tied to individual points.

This is how we interpret the results obtained. For example, we say that all brands are differentiated according to three main criteria - health benefits, the ability to inspire confidence and taste.

The correspondence analysis that we use to construct the maps allows us to see which attributes contributed most to the formation of the identified directions, which follow along with them and can be explained as a manifestation of the main attributes, and which are simply noise that does not matter.

And only after we have understood these main directions, have created a "coordinate system" for our map, we can talk about how the marks are grouped on it. We are looking for clusters of brands with a similar image, and using the identified key attributes, we are trying to describe these clusters, to understand the image of these brands.

This way we can find a wide variety of market niches. For example, brands associated with medicinal properties that are not suitable for everyday consumption. Or the niche of “regular brands” that people are willing to consume every day. And we can find a “reference” niche that people are guided by, but brands from which they will never consume often.

Most importantly, we are looking specifically for directions, map axes, as well as brand clusters, market niches. And in this case, returning to the original example, a separate point " good publicity»Can contribute to a wide variety of axes, from brand brightness and appeal to poor product quality, as consumers believe that only what is not otherwise sold well is advertised in this category.

Conclusion 1: You cannot analyze individual points in isolation from the entire map. Maps help us to see the main directions in which the criteria for evaluating brands can be grouped, and market niches and segments in which brands are grouped, rather than associations of specific brands with specific statements.

Taking into account the second limitation in understanding the meaning of perceptual maps is no less important.

When a respondent tells us that the words “good for health” or “a brand that can be trusted” are appropriate to describe a brand, this may not mean at all that they perceive it as healthy and trustworthy. This conclusion will seem strange and unobvious to many, but research experience finds a lot of confirmation for it.

All the statements we use are only indicators of the respondents' opinion about brands. We are trying to measure this opinion, but what it is is not always obvious. For example, in some product categories, for many people, “good for health” means “tasteless”, and “brand you can trust” means an expensive brand. It follows from this that statements on a perceptual map cannot be taken literally.

Every time we see a statement, we try to understand what it meant to the respondent and how we can correctly understand his opinion. The most logical way to find out is to look next to which other statements it lies next to.

However, how to understand which of the statements lying together really matter, and which are only indicators of a hidden opinion that does not correspond to the direct meaning? To do this, using tabular data, we analyze the contribution of each statement to the formation of the resulting axes.

The statements that have the greatest contribution to any direction allow us to interpret the meaning of the resulting direction. We can also try to understand what the respondent had in mind by other statements, why certain statements ended up together. This is another contribution of perceptual maps to our understanding of the category and consumers.

Conclusion 2: The statements on the card should not be taken literally. Not all sayings have the same meaning. Only by carefully analyzing the relative position of all statements relative to each other and the contribution of each statement to the construction of the axes, we can understand how to interpret the resulting directions and clusters of points.

Conclusion

Perceptual maps, due to their visibility, create many illusions about the actual perception of the brand and the possibilities for its development. Of course, customers often overestimate the value of this rendered data. The perceptual map requires a great deal of responsibility from the researcher and a great deal of accuracy, since there is too great a temptation to use it incorrectly.

With the help of perception maps, not market opportunities are studied, but what mutual arrangements, interactions of brands are currently taking place. They can be used to discuss the need for brand evolution, enhancement of its properties, etc. Groupings of points (brands and statements) give an understanding of the stability of the market or, conversely, its dynamism, allow you to form ideas about trends and potential development of the customer's brand.

The perception map itself is a rather serious simplification of the entire multidimensional data space and one cannot do without deep knowledge in the field of mathematical statistics when interpreting it.

The creation and interpretation of the map is special, virtuoso, practically handmade... At the entrance, the researchers operate with a whole set of tabular data, obscure to the uninitiated, and at the exit, with a cluster of points, like constellations in the night sky. In this case, it is important not to miss, in the pursuit of aesthetics and clarity, the very truth for which the research was carried out.

Interview and text, Ph.D., Associate Professor MIR, V. Matyushkin

Literature

1. Aaaker D. et al. Marketing research. Moscow: Peter, 2004
2. Davis D.D. Research in advertising. Theory and practice". - M .: Williams, 2003
3. F. Kotler et al. Fundamentals of Marketing. - M .: SPb .; TO.; Williams Publishing House, 2003
4. Malhotra N. Marketing research. A Practical Guide, 3rd Edition. M .: Williams, 2003. Chapter 21.
5. Jae-On Kim, Charles W. Mueller. Factor Analysis: Statistical Methods and Practical Issues. Eleventh Printing, - T.O .: SAGE 1986

Examples. How to build a positioning map?

Product positioning is a key part of modern marketing.

New products enter the market every day, hundreds and thousands of similar products compete side by side on supermarket shelves.

How can you win a large market share and loyal customers in such conditions?
You need to build the appropriate positioning of your product, which will highlight the key benefits for a specific target audience.

One way to do this is to create a "positioning map" (or as it is also called a "perception map").

Positioning map is a method of schematic, visual representation of perception potential clients your product in relation to competing products.

The main benefit of this tool is that all products (competitors) are "displayed" together on a positioning map. The target audience compares and compares them in relation to each other.

In marketing, positioning map data (perception map) can be used:

• when developing a strategy for positioning a product or service,


• identifying attractive market niches for the release of new products to the market (identifying the existing "gaps" where there are customer needs that are not satisfied),


• repositioning existing products,


• to identify their main competitors and their positioning,


• assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the product in relation to competing brands along certain criteria that are important to the consumer,


• identifying competitive advantages for the brand

After analyzing the data obtained, the company can position its product in such a way that it will fill the discovered free niche in the market or decide that it will compete with other products.

Building a positioning (perception) map

Here's an example of how to create a positioning map.

Step one

Usually 2 x and y lines are used to build a positioning map. The x-axis goes from right to left, the y-axis goes from bottom to top.

Any two characteristics of a product that are significant for a potential audience are used as variables, for example, variables:

• price and quality,
• price and comfort,
• necessity and luxury, etc.

Step two

After both criteria have been selected for assessing the position or perception of competing products, it is necessary to collect data to place competing products on the positioning map.

Data for a positioning map (perception map) is obtained by the method of quantitative and qualitative research, the results obtained in field studies, focus groups, interviews, surveys of the target audience, etc.

Step three

Placement of competing products on the positioning map depending on the obtained research data.

Step four

Interpretation of the received data. This is a very important step, for example, when developing a strategy for launching a new product on the market, errors in the interpretation of the positioning map, and, accordingly, incorrectly chosen positioning can affect the success of sales. Perhaps new questions will arise that will require additional research and analysis.

Positioning map (perception map). Example

Check out our example positioning map. It was created based on the preference of our team.

Each has its own brand map. And these preferences can apply to all goods and services. And they did not appear immediately and by themselves, they are the result of the company's work.

Despite the fact that the perception of one person, for example, the quality or price of a product is different from another, nevertheless, there will be certain similarities. And as one of the famous marketers put it, "the company's goal is to stake out a site in the client's brain."

Positioning maps should be used more for diagnostic purposes, the data obtained should be analyzed, confirmed by other studies. Launching a new product based only on perception map data is risky.

For example, the criteria chosen for evaluation may not be meaningful when choosing a product. Also, other important variables may fall out of the analysis, by which consumers can evaluate products, and you did not take into account their influence on the choice.

Another weak point of the map: you got a positioning map with unoccupied niches, but this does not always mean new opportunity positioning.

Look at the map above. There was an unoccupied niche with a combination of characteristics such as "low quality and high price". A product with this combination is not needed. A company marketing a product to this unoccupied niche can lose a lot of money.

And here is another example of a positioning map (perception map). Here we see an unoccupied niche: high nutritional value and good taste (fictitious card).

It may be worth considering this segment for a new product launch, analyzing additionally the real and potential needs for the product to be sure that there will be a demand for this product.

Finally, here are some tips from Jack Trout, one of the originators of Positioning.

• If you want to impress a person, you cannot crawl into his consciousness like a worm, and then slowly and systematically create a favorable impression of yourself.
  Consciousness is structured differently. In order to make an impression, you have to break into consciousness. The reason you should burst in and not crawl in is because people don't like to change their minds. From the moment they began to perceive you in a certain way, they will not want to change their opinion of you.


• Today, when a company stumbles, it immediately hears the breathing of competitors behind its back, since in modern business they do not walk, but run. To reclaim a lost business, a company has to wait for others to stumble and then try to figure out how to use the situation.


• What makes a company strong is not its product or service, but the position it occupies in the minds of consumers.


• The simpler and more important goal is to increase your market share, not profit. Once a market comes up, your number one goal is to establish a dominant position in it. Too many companies want to make a profit before they get a foothold.


• The leader should be attacked on as narrow a front as possible, preferably with a single product or service.


• Failure to predict the reaction of competitors is a major cause of marketing failure.


• Without a change in product or service, price or distribution, any strategy would be a meaningless flood of words.


• Sometimes you can ignore small competitors. But the moves of bigger competitors must be taken seriously, especially if they are much larger than you. First and foremost, you must evaluate what will happen if they succeed.

Perhaps you will still be interested in our article.

 

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