Comparative Brand Analysis: Marketing and Brand Positioning Strategies

This essay provides a comparative analysis of the brand positioning strategies of Associated British Foods (ABF) and Hovis. The introduction outlines the businesses, their products, and their market positions. The analysis delves into ABF's diversified customer base, segmentation strategies, and focus on quality, technology, and corporate responsibility. It contrasts this with Hovis's market sensitivity, multi-pronged positioning strategy, and focus on product improvement, communication, and public relations. The essay highlights how ABF uses diversification for growth and global market presence, while Hovis emphasizes media campaigns and entertainment value to enhance brand perception. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of market positioning in a competitive environment and summarizes the distinct strategies employed by ABF and Hovis to improve their brand positions.

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1COMPARATIVE BRAND ANALYSIS
Introduction
Associated British foods are a diversified group of business organization known by Food
Investment Plc. Later in the year 1960 the name of the business organization was changed to
Associated British foods (Abf.co.uk. 2020). The headquarters of the business organization are
headquartered in London. The international brand offered varied range of products such as
vegetable oil, herbs, spice, twining, bakery products, and sugar ingredients such as yeast. They
also provide agricultural food products and services. Hovis is considered as one of the main
competitor of Associated British foods (Hovis.co.uk. 2020). It is a premium food brand offering
premium breads, whole meal, and soft wine, hearty oats among others. The brand positions itself
as a high quality and healthy brand in the premium bread sector. The purpose of this essay is to
market various aspects of brand positioning and compare the brand positioning strategy of the
two business organizations: Associated British foods and Hovis.
Analysis and discussion
Associated British foods have a large diversified customer base with homogeneous
characteristics. The business organization has wisely chosen either target market segmentation,
to meet the needs and expectations of the consumers. Associated British foods determine one or
more segments considering the characteristics of the segments and the resources, capabilities of
the business organizations. Associated British foods focuses on concrete differences. They have
a clear positioning statement which might create a positive image of the products and services
offered to the consumers (Chernev 2018). They have developed an effective positioning strategy
by acknowledging what the company stands for, the needs and requirements of the business

2COMPARATIVE BRAND ANALYSIS
organizations, and the differentiation policies of the company. Associated British foods ensure
quality products and services to the consumers (Chernev 2018). The company has won the trust
of the consumers as being a food manufacturer with extensive focus on safety and quality
measurement. The company also utilizes new and advanced technology to manufacture its food
products and supplies (Chowdhury 2013). The company also undertakes broad responsible
corporate citizen partner which contributes to the speedy development of the country.
As compared to Hovis, they have a marketing team which develops a coherent marketing
strategy. They rethink the communication strategy and new product development time to time as
to capture the market. This has significant impact on the overall performance of the business
organizations. The new marketing strategy, repositions the brand time to time, which has raised
the brand image dramatically, thereby increasing the sales and gaining market share. Hovis is
highly sensitive to the market needs and preferences of the consumers (Chowdhury 2013). The
business organization set up new agencies for different aspects of market positioning strategies
such as for Public relations, advertising, packaging, and communicator. They coordinate the
work of different agencies and they galvanize these agencies and work towards completing the
re-launch of the brand (Chowdhury 2013). Hovis, consider market research before formulating
and implementing their strategy. For instance, the company identified that the consumers were
differentiating between the ‘good breads’ from the ‘bad breads’ (Jalkala and Keränen 2014). The
former were considered as ‘healthy and natural food from the real bakers’ whereas on the other
hand, the latter group was considered as ‘processed products from mass manufacturers’.
Hovis implements a multi pronged strategy for positioning its products and services in
the market. They focus on main critical elements such as improving the product, revitalizing the
packaging of the products, ensuring effective flow of communication and generating good public

3COMPARATIVE BRAND ANALYSIS
relations and word of mouth (Sair and Shoaib 2014). For example, Hovis implemented an
intensive programme of testing and introduced new formulations for product improvement.
Different product improvement showcased more efficiently. The business organization
considered repositioning the brand in the minds of the consumers by offering a new creative idea
for TV commercials (Sarmaniotis et al. 2014). Further, Hovis took every opportunity to stroke
the editorial coverage and word of mouth. For example, they took a survey asking consumers
about their favorite historical events, an interactive education pack was created by the company;
they introduced a trailer which was used as a piece of teaser content.
As compared to Associated British foods, they focus more on diversification and growth
strategy. They further diversify their food manufacturing business, with an intention of providing
one stop convenience store for the consumers (Proctor 2014). The company identified that the
consumer buying habits were changing; there had been instability of earnings from its sugar
sector due to the changing consumer behavior. Therefore, it considered expanding its sector
beyond sugar. This was one of the most conscious and well thought put strategies of the business
organizations which were based on strong reasoning. Associated British foods continued to
pursue their opportunity to grow and expand (Proctor 2014). This enabled the business
organization to position heir brand for further progress and material improvement. With wide
range of product categories and segment, the company had unparalleled position on the global
market. The brand has become the first choice of the consumers in the global market. These
positioning enables the business organization to focus on continual innovation and renovations
which is highly relevant in today’s business environment. The global presence of the business
organization has established itself as a strong position in the market in the dynamic and fast
changing business environment (Proctor 2014). Associated British foods established a unique

4COMPARATIVE BRAND ANALYSIS
presence for itself and its varied range of products in the market. The global presence of the
business organization not only increases the reputation and brand image of the business
organization but also its competitive advantage.
On the other hand, Hovis planned to maximize their media strategy. There launched a TV
campaign focusing on their communication strategy. The campaign had been appreciated as an
entertainment value. They focus on providing entertainment value to the consumers. The
focused on their slogan that is “as good today as it’s always having been” (Hovis.co.uk. 2020).
These extensive campaigns of the business organization increased perceptions of the brand in the
mind of the consumers. There had been improved brand perceptions along with improved
product impression among the consumers. The innovative and entertainment campaigns enabled
the consumers to increase perceptions of the consumers, they increasingly associated the brand
was differentiated and innovative. Hovis’s dramatic and conspicuous success story was
welcomed about the consumers (Hovis.co.uk. 2020). These campaigns outperformed other food
manufacturers in the industry. The standard approach of the business organization is necessary to
survive in the dynamic marketplace.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above analysis, it can be concluded that market positioning is highly
essential in the highly dynamic and competitive business environment. It involves a
multidimensional process. Different organizations implement different and unique market
positioning strategy to improve and enhance brand positioning in the minds of the consumers.
The essay has compared two brands that are Associated British foods and Hovis food

5COMPARATIVE BRAND ANALYSIS
manufacturing organizations. Both the brands implements extensive market positioning
strategies to improve their position in the market. It has been identified that Associated British
foods implements growth and expansion strategy to boost the reputation and brand image of the
business organizations, which directly improves the position of the brand in the minds of the
consumers. While on the other hand, Hovis implements various strategies such as media and
communication strategy like campaign, magazine, and TV Ads to boost its positioning in the
market. Both the brands have been highly successful in improving their position in the market.

6COMPARATIVE BRAND ANALYSIS
References
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Hovis.co.uk. (2020). About Us. [online] Available at: https://www.hovis.co.uk/ [Accessed 28
Feb. 2020].
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customer solutions. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing.
Proctor, T., 2014. Strategic marketing: an introduction. Routledge.
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perceived by consumers. Science International-(Lahore), 26(1), pp.353-361.
Sarmaniotis, C., Wickens, E., Singh, J., Kalafatis, S.P. and Ledden, L., 2014. Consumer
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