The world of brands is a very competitive landscape; one that is definitely not for the faint-hearted. When you enter this space aspiring to build a brand, you best have your story together and be ready to walk the talk. In this world, the position you hold in the market is essentially what matters most. That, and the unique trait that makes you different from all the other brands that coexist with you.
The power of brand lies in the hands of the consumer; if you want to stay top of mind then you have to put in the work to position yourself a little differently to your competitors. Brand differentiation and positioning are key strategies in strengthening a brand’s identity. The these two concepts are so linked, they are often thought of as interchangeable.
“the result of being different is that a position is “leased” in the mind of the consumer that will guide purchasing choices.”
– Klopper and North (2011:93)
Many a brands out there have successfully cemented themselves and taken up space in the minds of the consumer as their number one choice. In this piece, we look at one such brand and how they are possibly getting it right…
Giving you wings since 1987, Redbull was the world’s introduction to the concept of energy drinks[i]. As the new kid and liquid consumption product on the block, the brand already knew where its place was and that’s exactly where it focused on playing. When you think of Redbull today, outside of the consumption obviously, what most likely comes to mind is speed, adventure, wild cars and bikes[ii], fun energetic times etc.
As early as 1988, Redbull had already positioned itself in the athletic space, where energy is needed[i]. As a completely new product on the beverage market, this was a step in the right direction of setting themselves apart and defining their spot. Yes, there were drinks out there… but now, there’s Redbull[ii]
A bull with wings… sounds crazy, right? How about you… with wings… knocking your day out the park…
It actually reminds me of the saying about pigs flying, except Redbull made sure they occupied the market with that crazy idea of using the picture of a bull instead of a pig.
You see, for a brand to survive in this “cut-throat” world of brands and top their competitors as the consumer’s choice brand, they will need to have “that thing”. You need to find your place your place in the market and the consumer’s life where you can play strongly; position yourself there, and then proceed to set yourself apart in such a way your target market will think about you as top 2 – and hopefully not number 2.
You are, after all, making it easier for the consumer to make their decision and get back to enjoying life, with your brand of course.
Looking at the space Redbull occupies in the market, I think it’s pretty obvious if they are going to cement their position that they would do so through exciting, exhilarating, crazy and sometimes ridiculously adventurous activations – things you otherwise wouldn’t think an ordinary person would consider doing, just for the heck of it. Something like the “5 Crazy Things Red Bull Racing Has Done With An F1 Car”.
Not only is this how the Redbull brand team effectively position their brand in the energy drink market, they also use this very key and exciting brand characteristic as their key differentiator. With brands like Monster, Play, Rockstar and the likes contending for the ‘top of mind’ space, Redbull uses this edgy appeal about them to set themselves apart as the energy drink brand that doesn’t just sell or preach energy, but are living it all the way through!
Talk about a smart way to position yourself, set yourself apart and still maintain competitive advantage, all by just being yourself and living your brand the best way you know how.
“Giving wings to people and ideas”
– Redbull[i]
The brand team has also found a cool way of reaching out to the younger consumer base through the ‘Wings Team’. Redbull chooses to use university students as campus reps – brand ambassadors that are not only relatable to the target group but are from the target group. Small attentive nuances like this team that drives around scouting for places and moments to deliver some energy and give people wings are the brand’s way of saying, “choose us to keep you going through your extreme adventures, and we’ll also show up for you when you least expect it”.
This brand has positioned themselves so well as the energy drink of choice that I don’t think people still consider the association cost when purchasing a can of Redbull. Which is a good thing for the brand considering their pricing position in the game[i]; against the other energy drinks, Redbull costs a little more to enjoy. However, every good thing has its downside if not managed well. The ramifications of getting this right are amazing brand ROI as touched on, but I fear to think what heavy expectations lie on the shoulders of the brand itself and the teams behind it.
Ultimately, when the race-car driver, ‘surfer-dude’ or tertiary student decides to grab an energy drink, they don’t really want to be thinking about it too much. The concepts of positioning and differentiation are what will help your brand be the chosen one. If you play your cards right. Understanding these two and how they come together to earn a seat at the brand identity table will help set your brand on fire and keep It burning for years to come, just like Redbull. You certainly can’t have the one without the other if you want to win.
Find your place in the market and play your hand so well that you show them “what makes you so special”.
Sources:
[i]https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.redbull.com%2Frbx00381%2F0001%2F1%2F1400%2F432%2FWORB_webpage_2__Brand_Image_25fb389a424839ce0f55.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fjobs.redbull.com%2Fpk%2Fen%2Fnashville-senior-manager-brand-marketing-116476-041530&tbnid=6hdnpWxt3v4-IM&vet=12ahUKEwiEjYjXosXoAhUJ-hoKHaGXBIUQMygkegQIARB1..i&docid=26K835vkE5nuAM&w=1400&h=700&itg=1&q=REDBULL&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwiEjYjXosXoAhUJ-hoKHaGXBIUQMygkegQIARB1
[i]https://www.redbull.com/za-en/energydrink/company-profile
[i]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRWwyAXoeb8
[i]https://redburnmonsters.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/positioning-map/
[i]https://www.redbull.com/int-en/red-bull-dolomitenmann-info
[i]https://cartoons.redbull.com/int-en/workwhitecollar
[ii]https://www.redbull.com/za-en/energydrink
[i]https://www.redbull.com/za-en/energydrink/history-of-red-bull
[ii]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull
[i]https://artplusmarketing.com/red-bull-stomps-all-over-global-marketing-7642c2647401