PRODUCER VERSUS RETAIL BRAND STRATEGIES – POSITIONING VECTORS IN CONSUMERS’ MIND

Abstract

Both producers and retailers are engaged in a constant battle for a spot in consumers’ psyche. This is done not only through articles and products that are sold under different brands of producers or retailers, but also by retail brands, ie stores, locations or subsidiaries. In this way, when developing a market, the retailer uses branded product-specific strategies, which he manages to translate very well on his own retail brand. Obviously, both producers and retailers will try through the specific brand strategies adopted to approach consumers, to gain their attention and confidence by the promoted brands. Furthermore they will constantly bombard consumers with information regarding the benefits or utilities of their own brands, the time or money saved by consumers when buying a particular brand or even the unique features comprised by a brand. Confronted with such a wide range of concerted and focused influences on them, consumers must face environmental stimuli, to systematize the needed information and to take the best purchasing decision. They have to choose the proper article from the vast range of offered brands, based on the image that a brand has outlined in consumers’ minds, and by the need they felt respectively (Foscht & Swoboda, 2007, p. 76). The present paper focuses on both producers and retailers specific strategies aimed at achieving an adequate position in consumers’ minds. We emphasize on the most frequent strategies and also give specific examples.brand strategies, producer brand, retail brand, retailers’ own brand.