The Sun Tzu Art Of War in Comparative Marketing Strategy

When you are marketing your product or services, it is like a strategic battle where you compete with your competitors to earn the customer's business.

To compete with your competitor, you need to compare your business with your competitor.

Let's look at Sun Tzu Art Of War Strategy in Comparative Marketing.

What is Comparative Marketing?

Comparative marketing is a strategic approach that focuses on positioning one's product or service as superior to that of competitors.

This superiority can be shown through various ways, such as enhanced features, greater benefits, or a more competitive pricing structure.

The essence of comparative marketing lies in its ability to draw direct comparisons, allowing consumers to recognize the advantages of one product over another easily.

In essence, comparative marketing is not merely about promoting a product; it is about creating a narrative that resonates with potential customers.

By highlighting specific attributes that set a product apart, your company can effectively engage your targeted audience and lead them to purchase your product.

This form of marketing often employs visual aids, testimonials, and statistical data to substantiate claims, thereby enhancing credibility and consumer trust.

Comparative marketing can be very effective in saturated markets where consumers are faced with numerous options.

In such scenarios, a well-crafted comparative marketing campaign can lead potential customers toward making informed choices based on clear, concise comparisons.

For example, I was a Country Head for a Japanese auto manufacturer many years ago. I faced a lot of competition, and customers had a lot of choices.

Comparative marketing was a strategy we used to win over customers.

This approach encourages potential customers to consider my company's product.

This strategy not only benefits the company by increasing market share but also empowers consumers by providing them with the necessary information to make better purchasing decisions.

Overall, comparative marketing is a powerful tool that, when executed thoughtfully, can lead to significant competitive advantages and foster long-term customer loyalty.

How do you implement the Comparative Marketing Strategy?

Implementing a comparative marketing strategy requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the messaging is both effective and ethical. Here is a wise word from Sun Tzu's Art Of War,

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you need not worry about the results of a hundred battles.

Sun Tzu stresses the importance of research before launching any comparative marketing campaign.

You got to know yourself and your competitors well.

It is crucial to have a deep understanding of both your own product's strengths and weaknesses as well as those of your competitors.

With this knowledge, you can strategically select which feature or benefit of your product to emphasize while at the same time highlighting the weaknesses of your competitors' offerings.

It is important to note that if you are not as established as the competitor you cannot use this marketing strategy.

In his book "The Art of War," Sun Tzu states,

Standing on the defense means not enough strength; attacking means abundant strength.

You only use the Comparative Marketing strategy when you are superior or equal in size to the competitor.

After you’ve got all the info, you can put together a great campaign that highlights what makes your product superior.

Here are ways to do this marketing campaign:

1. Side-by-side comparison -

This method involves presenting your product alongside a competitor's product in a straightforward manner, allowing consumers to visually assess the differences in features, pricing, and benefits.

The comparisons can be displayed in advertisements, on websites, or through social media. This makes it easy for potential customers to compare your product against the competitor.

2. A blind test -

In this approach, you ask the potential customer to evaluate products without knowing their brands.

This can be an effective way to demonstrate the superiority of your product based on its performance alone, free from any brand bias.

Blind tests can be conducted in various settings, such as focus groups or public demonstrations.

3. Live demonstration -

By showcasing your product in action, you provide potential customers with physical proof that your product is superior.

Live demonstrations can take place at trade shows, in-store events, or through online webinars, where potential customers can see firsthand how your product outperforms the competition.

What are the advantages of the Comparative Marketing Strategy?

One of the advantages of comparative marketing is that it allows potential customers to clearly see the benefits and advantages of your product in relation to your competitor's offerings.

This clarity can lead to increased consumer confidence and a higher likelihood of purchase.

The advantage of comparative marketing is it can create a sense of urgency among potential customers.

When they see a clear comparison between products, customers will feel more confident to make a quick decision and they will make an immediate purchase.

The Dangers of Comparative Marketing Strategy

While comparative marketing can offer significant benefits, it is not without its risks.

Companies must be very careful in understanding the potential failure to ensure the strategy is executed effectively.

1. You have started a Marketing war against your competitor -

Engaging in comparative marketing means you are effectively launching a direct attack against your competitor.

This aggressive stance can provoke retaliation from the competitor, leading to a marketing war where both parties continually escalate their campaigns.

Such a scenario can divert attention away from product quality and customer satisfaction, focusing instead on competitive one-upmanship.

Moreover, this kind of rivalry can create a toxic atmosphere in the industry, where companies prioritize undermining each other rather than innovating and improving their products.

This can ultimately detract from the overall market environment and consumer experience.

2. Your potential customers may not like your aggressive campaign -

Another potential danger is that your target audience may not respond positively to an aggressive comparative marketing campaign.

Some potential customers may perceive such tactics as negative or confrontational, leading to backlash or bad publicity.

This negative perception can harm your brand's reputation and alienate potential customers who prefer a more positive and constructive approach to marketing.

To mitigate this risk, it is important to strike a balance between promoting your product's strengths and maintaining a respectful tone towards competitors.

Acknowledging the value of competition while showing off your product's superiority can create a more favorable impression among consumers.

3. Some customers may think your campaign is biased

Some potential customers may not be convinced because they are aware that marketers will obviously highlight the strengths of their product but hide the weaknesses of their product and at the same time show the negative side of the competitor's product.

So this comparative marketing strategy may not work for all customers.

4. This marketing campaign can be very costly -

Just like in The Art of War by Sun Tzu, there is advice against confrontational war if possible because any war, just like engaging in comparative marketing, can lead to significant financial expenditures.

When both your company and your competitor launch aggressive campaigns against each other, the costs associated with marketing efforts can escalate rapidly.

This escalation can strain budgets and affect overall profitability.

Additionally, the resources allocated to comparative marketing might detract from other essential areas of business, such as product development, customer service, and innovation.

It is vital to carefully assess the return on investment for comparative marketing efforts to ensure that they contribute positively to the company's bottom line.

In conclusion, while comparative marketing can be a powerful tool for gaining market share and enhancing brand visibility, it is imperative to approach this strategy with caution.

By understanding both the advantages and potential dangers, companies can craft campaigns that effectively communicate their product's strengths while minimizing risks and fostering a positive relationship with consumers and competitors alike.

Sun Tzu Art Of War advice for the Comparative Marketing strategy

I leave you with this Sun Tzu's advice,

Good fighters in the past put themselves in an invincible position and then waited for the opportunity to be victorious when the enemy was vulnerable.

Before you use this strategy, make sure you have all your resources and strength to attack your competitor and when you see a weakness in your competitor.

All strategic decisions have to be taught carefully.

That is the Art Of War in Marketing.