Differentiation myths
Byron Sharp
Research Professor (Marketing Science), Director Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Adelaide University of South Australia.
In the real world differentiation undoubtedly exists. The idea that brands are identical commodities is fiction; for a start they have different names that can be used by buyers to develop loyalties.
How Brands Grow chapter 8 "Differentiation versus Distinction", Byron Sharp & Jenni Romaniuk.
For those interested in the academic literature on differentiation, below is a link to a review article written with the inestimable Professor John Dawes . In turn it has been cited in almost 300 other academic articles.
It covers almost one hundred years of academic literature and...along the way refutes a number of widely held beliefs:
Head of Digital (Strategy, Marketing, Loyalty, Delivery, CRM & Transformation)
1 年"There is no such thing as a commodity. All goods and services are differentiable." - Theodore Leviit
Fractional CMO for Early-Stage SaaS. ???? I use creativity to cut CAC and help you beat the big guys. || Growth, Positioning, Demand Gen, Brand, ABM…and other keywords. ??
1 年I see the owl. I drop everything and click on the owl. Thanks Byron Sharp ??
Great summary of good old marketing beliefs I grew up with: Differentiation = distinctiveness. Can be product driven, but doesn't have to. Can cost more, but doesn't always need to. Can support a price premium - only if it's of the premium kind. Is essential for a brand's strength, so best to define it and pursue it with clear positioning, a fresh-consistency creative platform supported by distinctive design and brand world.
Marketing, Paid Media & E-Commerce | FMCG, Automobile, Media & Internet | Lifelong Learner & student of Marketing, Brands & Human Behaviour
1 年Prashant Chacko