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  The IUP Journal of   Brand Management :
Positioning in the Mind Versus Brand Extension: The Revision of Ries and Trout
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This paper traces the historical roots of discourse to the debate of brand positioning versus brand category extension back to the early fathers of positioning theory. It is argued that the same psychological mechanisms that initially elevate positioning in relation to earlier USP-paradigms, work as to decentralize positioning in relation to brand identity in general and the epitome of brand leverage, brand category extensions in particular. The trajectory of discourse is unfolded in the works and debates of positioning versus extension ideologists in brand management.

 
 
 

According to Doyle (1975 and 1990), marketers own the concept of brands in much the same way that economists own the concept of neoclassic micro-economy or the field of postmodern philosophy owns the concept of discourse. Very closely linked to the concept of brands is the concept of positioning (Trout and Rivkin, 1999). Positioning appears both on a tactic level within the marketing mix framework, besides, price, place and promotion, and the product to be positioned (Kotler and Keller, 2013). Simultaneously, positioning is considered as a strategic concept within marketing, over and above the marketing mix in relation to segmenting and targeting, a concept that adds consistency and coherence to the marketing mix elements.

For example, given a premium positioning, a brand like Audi may charge a higher price for their cars (Kotler, 1980) Consequently, positioning constantly reiterates between strategic and tactic level in the marketing mix; in addition, positioning iterates between positioning of the physical product and positioning in the mind of the consumer (Ries and Trout, 1980). A consequence of the positioning as mind-battle is that brands cannot be leveraged, not even through line extensions. In fact, Ries and Trout (1980) raise a warning against all forms of line and category extensions:

After its initial success, Volkswagen however fell into the line-extension trap. In addition to the original Beetle, it began to promote the station wagon, the larger sedan (the 412), the sporty car (the Dasher) and the jeep-style vehicle (the Thing).

 
 
 

Brand Management Journal, Positioning, Mind, Brand Extension, Ries, USP-paradigms, brand nominalism, argument, advertising noise, Trout.