In consumer marketing, a brand with unique brand benefit which satisfies a higher order want/need in Maslow’s hierarchy will have fewer competitive substitutes than a brand with a unique brand benefit which satisfies a lower order want/need.
Returning to the sports drink category to illustrate this guide, all sports drinks promise to quench thirst. This satisfaction of thirst is a basic physiological want/need. There are many competitive substitutes which could also quench thirst: water, juice, beer, etc. A brand position which promises to satisfy a lower order want/need will find itself open to many competitive substitutes.
Some sports drinks promise to provide extra energy. While just providing energy is the satisfaction of a physiological want/need, providing extra energy is probably the satisfaction of safety wants/needs. So what competitive substitute in the beverage category could also provide the value of extra energy? Anything with sugar. Still lots of competitive substitutes.
Gatorade promises to make its target customers winners. With all of their marketing investment in sports over the years, they have become closely associated with the attribute of winning. So much so that Gatorade has become part of American culture with everyone expecting the the coach of the winning Super Bowl team will have the iced cooler of Gatorade dumped on him at the end of the game. What competitive substitute in the beverage category will satisfy the ego want/need of being a winner. The answer is nothing. Positioning Guide #9 told us that a product benefit is not a brand benefit. If a marketer focuses on product benefits, such as “quenches thirst” or “provides extra energy”, your saying that your brand satisfies a lower order want/need in Maslow’s hierarchy. Your target customer knows that there are a variety of products and brands that could satisfy that lower order want/need. Marketers who focus on product benefits aren’t giving their target customers a reason to consider their brands.
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