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Product, Services, and Brands:

Building Customer Value

Principles Marketing, 13th ed

 Defining Associations
Points-of-difference (PODs) Points-of-parity (POPs)
• Attributes or benefits • Associations that are not
consumers strongly necessarily unique to the
associate with a brand, brand but may be shared
positively evaluate, and with other brands
believe they could not find
to the same extent with a
competitive brand

e.g. Toothpaste : Freshness, e.g. Toothpaste : Washing

Cosmetics, Medicine, Taste teeth
 Differentiation Strategies

i. Product
ii. Personnel—better trained employees
iii. Channel—more effectively and efficiently
design distribution channel coverage,
expertise, and performance.
iv. Image—crafting of powerful, compelling
images (e.g., Marlboro, Hyatt Regency
Hotels—atrium lobbies)
 i. Product Differentiation

• Product form • Style

• Features • Design
• Performance • Ordering ease
• Conformance • Delivery
• Durability • Installation
• Reliability • Customer training
• Reparability • Customer consulting
• Maintenance
VS
iii. Channel Differentiation
Product Life Cycle
 Product Life-Cycle Strategies
1. Product development
• Sales are zero and investment costs mount
2. Introduction
• Slow sales growth and profits are nonexistent
3. Growth
• Rapid market acceptance and increasing profits.
4. Maturity
• Slowdown in sales growth and profits level off or decline
5. Decline
• Sales fall off and profits drop
Style: Distinctive mode of expression
Fashion: Currently accepted or popular style
Fad: Fashions that come and go quickly

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