Latest / The Marketing Funnel Podcast with Fexingo: Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action Stages / How Brand Positioning Changed the Marketing Funnel
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we talk a lot about the funnel as a sequence — awareness, interest, decision, action. But what if your brand is so well positioned that you can skip a whole stage? Luna: Skip a stage? That sounds like cheating the funnel. Lucas: Kind of, but it happens. Think about Volvo. If someone says 'I want a safe car,' they're basically already at the decision stage. They don't need to go through a long awareness and interest process. They just need to confirm that Volvo is safe, and then they buy. Luna: Because Volvo owns the word 'safety' in our minds. That's brand positioning. Lucas: Exactly. And that positioning compresses the top of the funnel. The awareness is automatic — you already know Volvo stands for safety. The interest is almost immediate — 'yes, safety is important to me.' So the funnel effectively starts at decision. Luna: But that only works if the positioning is rock solid. If Volvo ever had a major safety scandal, that whole shortcut collapses. Lucas: Right. And that's the risk. Let's look at another example: Apple. Their positioning around design and simplicity means when a new product drops, people are already aware and interested. The funnel for an iPhone launch is almost entirely decision and action. Luna: So for Apple, the marketing funnel for a new iPhone is basically just 'here it is, buy it now.' Lucas: Pretty much. They spend on ads, sure, but those ads aren't trying to convince you that you need a smartphone. They're reminding you that Apple has a new one, and if you're in the Apple ecosystem, you're likely already sold. Luna: But what about brands that don't have that luxury? Or brands that try to position themselves in a way that doesn't match reality? Lucas: That's where things get messy. Pepsi tried to position itself as the choice of a new generation in the 80s and 90s with the Pepsi Challenge. But the positioning was based on a taste test, not a deep emotional benefit. It didn't stick long-term because Coca-Cola's positioning around authenticity and tradition was stronger. Luna: So the Pepsi Challenge actually worked for awareness and interest — people tried it — but then the decision stage favored Coke anyway. Lucas: Exactly. The funnel broke at decision. And that's a classic positioning failure: you can drive people to the top of the funnel, but if your positioning doesn't resonate at the decision stage, you lose them. Luna: So how do you know if your brand positioning is working at each stage? Are there metrics? Lucas: There are. For awareness, you look at brand recall and recognition. For interest, engagement metrics like time on site or click-through rates. For decision, conversion rate from consideration to purchase. And for action, repeat purchase and advocacy. Luna: But those are generic funnel metrics. What's specific to positioning? Lucas: Great question. Specific to positioning, you want to measure 'positioning clarity' — do people associate your brand with the attribute you're aiming for? Surveys, social listening, and even search data can tell you that. Luna: So Volvo could run a survey and ask 'what brand comes to mind for safety?' If they're not top, their positioning is slipping. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a leading indicator. If you see that slipping, you know you need to reinforce it before it affects the funnel. Luna: Can you ever have a brand that owns multiple positions? Like, can Volvo also own 'performance'? Lucas: It's really hard. Brands that try to be everything often end up owning nothing. BMW owns 'driving pleasure,' Mercedes owns 'prestige,' Volvo owns 'safety.' When Volvo tried to also push performance with the 'Polestar' line, they created a sub-brand to avoid diluting the main positioning. Luna: So sub-branding is a way to expand without breaking the funnel. Lucas: Right. The main funnel stays intact for the core brand, and the sub-brand builds its own funnel from scratch — which is hard, because it doesn't have the same automatic awareness. Luna: Let me ask: in the age of social media, does brand positioning matter more or less than in the Mad Men era? Lucas: I'd argue it matters more. Because information travels faster. A brand that mispositions itself gets called out immediately. But also, a brand with strong positioning can leverage user-generated content to reinforce it at almost no cost. Luna: Like when Jeep owners post photos of their off-road adventures. That reinforces Jeep's positioning as rugged and adventurous. Lucas: Exactly. And that content feeds the interest and decision stages for other potential buyers. It's a virtuous cycle. But it only works if the positioning is authentic. If Jeep tried to position as luxury, those off-road photos would confuse people. Luna: Speaking of authenticity, let's talk about a brand that completely changed its positioning and how that affected the funnel. Lucas: Old Spice is a great example. They went from 'your grandfather's aftershave' to 'the man your man could smell like' with that viral campaign. Their positioning shifted from classic to humorous, modern. Luna: And the funnel? The old positioning meant only older men were aware and interested. After the shift, they had to build awareness with a younger demographic from scratch. Lucas: Right. But they did it brilliantly. The viral video created massive awareness. The humor generated interest. The product itself was simple — deodorant — so the decision stage was low risk. And they used a clear call to action: 'look at your man, now back to me.' Luna: So the funnel worked because the positioning was clear and the campaign matched it perfectly. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the takeaway: positioning sets the context for the entire funnel. If your positioning is fuzzy, every stage of the funnel becomes harder. If it's sharp, you can compress stages and get to action faster. Luna: It's almost like positioning is the gravity that pulls people through the funnel. Lucas: I like that. Gravity. It makes the journey downhill instead of uphill. Luna: We've been talking about positioning as if it's a one-time thing. But it's constantly being tested, right? Lucas: Absolutely. Competitors try to erode it. New entrants redefine categories. Consumer values shift. That's why you need to monitor positioning health regularly. Luna: So if you're a marketer, where do you start? If you don't have a clear positioning, how do you find one? Lucas: Start with your audience. What do they already believe about you? What do they wish you did better? Then look at competitors. Find a gap. And test it through small campaigns before committing fully. Luna: And if you have a positioning but it's not working? Like if the awareness is there but conversion is low? Lucas: That usually means the positioning is accurate but not compelling enough at the decision stage. You might need to add a secondary benefit that seals the deal. But be careful not to dilute the core. Luna: So for example, Volvo could add 'and it has great fuel economy' without losing safety. Lucas: Exactly. That's a feature, not a repositioning. It enhances the decision stage without confusing the awareness. Luna: This is really practical. I think a lot of marketers get caught up in tactics and forget that the funnel only works if the foundation — positioning — is solid. Lucas: That's the core insight. And here's the thing: we're able to dive into these marketing conversations without any ads cluttering the message. That's intentional. If these episodes have helped you sharpen your own marketing thinking, and you want to support keeping them ad-free, you can do that at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to say 'keep going.' Luna: Yeah, it's a small gesture that makes a big difference. We appreciate every bit of support. Lucas: Alright, back to positioning. One more thing I want to touch on: how social media has changed the speed at which positioning affects the funnel. Luna: Because a positioning misstep can go viral in minutes? Like when a brand posts something tone-deaf? Lucas: Exactly. That creates negative awareness, kills interest, and destroys decision. So you have to be more careful, but also more agile. If you can correct quickly, you might salvage the funnel. Luna: Any recent examples come to mind? Lucas: I'd rather not name names, but think of any brand that tried to jump on a social justice trend and came off as insincere. Their positioning as 'caring' or 'authentic' took a hit, and the funnel suffered. Luna: So the lesson is: be authentic, or don't bother. Lucas: Exactly. And if you are authentic, the funnel works like a charm. Luna: Alright, I think our listeners have a lot to think about. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. See you next time.