Product perception maps

A product perception map (or perceptual map) is a visual tool used in marketing to show how target customers perceive competing products or brands relative to each other across specific attributes. It's typically a two-dimensional graph where products are plotted based on customer ratings or perceptions of key features or benefits (e.g., Price vs. Quality, Traditional vs. Innovative).

Yes, mapping your product or brand on a perception map is a valuable exercise. It helps you understand your current positioning in the market relative to competitors from the customer's viewpoint. This insight is crucial for identifying market opportunities, areas where your product might be misunderstood, or competitive threats.

Products are "moved" on a perception map by strategically changing aspects of the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) to influence customer perception. For example, enhancing product quality, adjusting pricing, updating branding, launching targeted advertising campaigns, or changing distribution can alter how customers perceive the product and shift its position on the map over time.

The attributes used depend on the specific market and what factors influence customer choice. Common attributes include price, quality, reliability, features, design, innovation, prestige, user-friendliness, or specific benefits sought by customers. Choosing relevant and important attributes is key to creating a useful map.

A 2x2 (or four-quadrant) perception map uses two key, often opposing, attributes as the axes (e.g., High Price/Low Price on one axis, High Quality/Low Quality on the other). Products are plotted based on perceived scores for these two attributes. This visual representation helps quickly identify clusters of competitors, underserved market spaces, and the relative positioning of your product compared to others based on those two factors.