12:59:00 PM
Aalyzing the Customers
The ultimate positioning decision specifies where in the perceptual map the brand should be positioned. Making that decision obviously requires knowing which areas in the map will be attractive to the customers. In most cases, customers will differ markedly as to the area in the perceptual map they prefer even if their perceptions of brands are similar. Thus, the task is usually to identify segments or clusters of customers based on their preferred locations in the perceptual maps. The decision will then involve selecting the segment or segments as well as the targd position.
One approach to segmentation involves identifying which attributes or custOlmer benefits are most important and then identifying groups of customers who val'ue similar attributes or benefits. Another approach uses the concept of an "ideal object." An ideal object is an object the customer would prefer over all others, including objects that can be conceptualized but do not actually exist. It is a combination of all the customer's preferred attribute levels. Customers who have similar ideal objects will form relevant segment!,.
Preferences may be very sensitive to use context. In one s,tudy, focus groups (structured discussions involving eight to ten people) and judgment were used to identify nine relevant use contexts for coffee:34
- To start the day
- Between meals
- Between meals with others
- With lunch
- With supper
- Dinner with guests
- In the evening
- To keep awake in the evening
- On weekends
In this study, there were differences across use occasion (Hill's Brothers had a 7 percent share of breakfast use but only a 1.5 percent share of the remainder of the day). The major differences were found between A.M. coffee drinkers and P.M. coffee drinkers.
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