Gatorade can be considered a Creation Brand because it meets a need in customers' minds that it helped to establish. Just think: Before
Gatorade, had you ever heard of replenishing your electrolytes?
Evolution Brands
Evolution Brands can successfully communicate that they represent significant enhancements over traditional and previously
available therapies. Lipitor, for example, recalibrated the existing measure of success by providing significantly better cholesterol lowering across
the board.
Opportunistic Brands
[BRAND CATEGORY 3]
A full appreciation of a brand's characteristics and how they match up with competitors allows brand teams to better exploit
opportunities. That happened with Virginia Slims, which used targeting and segmentation to turn a me-too cigarette into a successful "for women only" brand.
Opportunistic Brand
This brand has similar attributes to existing brands and goes after unique segments.
Another team may point out that Karalyn is not going to be the only player in either the gout or RA markets. Existing therapies
and neck-and-neck new product introductions will present some competition, and in some ways, an advantage over Karalyn. Seen
this way, Karalyn may fall into the category of an Opportunistic Brand.
Other brands in this category include Effexor, Darvocet, and Virginia Slims. Those marketers have attained success by defining
a unique opportunity: They've aimed carefully against the competition, sacrificed what they could not own, and segmented in
different media venues and/or with specific customer segments.
Effexor—a non-SSRI antidepressant in a market dominated by SSRI science—initially carved out a patient pool that was poorly
controlled on SSRIs, and established those patients as its base. Darvocet, a potent controlled pain reliever with a low addiction
potential, took advantage of the oral morphine controversy to position itself as a safer intermediary step between addictive
substances and OTC pain relief. Virginia Slims, a me-too cigarette in a very crowded market, sacrificed targeting the male
audience to own a greater share of the female smoking market.
If Karalyn sees itself as an Opportunistic Brand, then it should:
DEFINE A VIABLE NICHE Target patients who are poorly controlled on current therapies, or set out to target only rheumatologists, for example, as
"the experts' choice."
BE A SOURCE OF DEPENDABILITY Build advocacy with core believers and over-service your base. Opportunistic Brands secure a strong position in the market
by owning a large part of a smaller opportunity.
TIE EQUITY TO A PRACTICAL OR EMOTIONAL BENEFIT Since your brand isn't innately exciting, your strategy must be grounded in resolving a customer issue or delivering a timely
solution.
EXPLORE CONTINGENCIES Be prepared with a plan B and C. If, say, a competitor is removed from the market due to safety reasons, an Opportunistic
Brand has already played out this scenario and is ready to fill the gap.
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