manufacture, market, and service goods that fill those needs and wants, that is, create solutions for customer problems. An important principle to remember is: Customer-focused marketing is designed to address consumer needs and wants. Marketing communication can be designed to acquire consumer feedback that leads to insights into consumer decision making. This information then feeds back into marketing plans, where it can stimulate that is new product development better designed to more effectively and efficiently meet customer needs. In advertising, the difference between a product and a consumer focus lies in the orientation of the ad. Ideally, the ad will address both by interpreting product features in terms of consumer benefits. The United Airlines ad in Exhibit 2.8 provides an example of this. We often use the words and interchangeably, but there are consumer customer some differences in meaning. Consumer is a general term for people who buy and use products and services. The word customer, however, refers to someone who has purchased a specific brand or visited a specific retailer. By virtue of those actions, these people can be said to have a relationship with a brand or a store. Differentiation, Competitive Advantage, and Positioning Marketing experts point to the importance of differentiation as a selling strategy. They recommend strategies that are informed by consumers, but led by fundamental marketing decisions that make the brand stand out as different from its competition, a process known as positioning. How a brand is different and superior in some way is called a competitive advantage. This concept is referred to in marketing strategy as product differentiation. The point of difference is seen in the way the product is positioned relative to its competitors. Positioning refers to how consumers view and compare competitive brands or types of products. A product can be differentiated and therefore positioned in a variety of ways. Positioning is discussed later in this chapter, and also in Chapter 7. Added Value Added value refers to a marketing communication activity that makes the product more valuable, useful, or appealing to the consumer. Added value is the reason consumers are willing to pay more for one brand over its competition. Advertising and other marketing communication not only showcase the product’s value but also may add value by making the product appear more desirable. Providing news
manufacture, market, and service goods that fill those needs and wants, that is, create solutions for customer problems. An important principle to remember is: Customer-focused marketing is designed to address consumer needs and wants. Marketing communication can be designed to acquire consumer feedback that leads to insights into consumer decision making. This information then feeds back into marketing plans, where it can stimulate new product development that is better designed to more effectively and efficiently meet customer needs. In advertising, the difference between a product and a consumer focus lies in the orientation of the ad. Ideally, the ad will address both by interpreting product features in terms of consumer benefits. The United Airlines ad in Exhibit 2.8 provides an example of this. We often use the words consumer and customer interchangeably, but there are some differences in meaning. Consumer is a general term for people who buy and use products and services. The word customer, however, refers to someone who has purchased a specific brand or visited a specific retailer. By virtue of those actions, these people can be said to have a relationship with a brand or a store. Differentiation, Competitive Advantage, and Positioning Marketing experts point to the importance of differentiation as a selling strategy. They recommend strategies that are informed by consumers, but led by fundamental marketing decisions that make the brand stand out as different from its competition, a process known as positioning. How a brand is different and superior in some way is called a competitive advantage. This concept is referred to in marketing strategy as product differentiation. The point of difference is seen in the way the product is positioned relative to its competitors. Positioning refers to how consumers view and compare competitive brands or types of products. A product can be differentiated and therefore positioned in a variety of ways. Positioning is discussed later in this chapter, and also in Chapter 7. Added Value Added value refers to a marketing communication activity that makes the product more valuable, useful, or appealing to the consumer. Added value is the reason consumers are willing to pay more for one brand over its competition. Advertising and other marketing communication not only showcase the product’s value but also may add value by making the product appear more desirable. Providing news
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