Product Differentiation and What It Means for Your Brand, According to Experts

Table of Contents

• What is product differentiation?
• Types of Product Differentiation
• Vertical Product Differentiation vs. Horizontal Product Differentiation
• Product Differentiation Strategies That Work
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Product Differentiation
• Product Differentiation Examples
• A Product Differentiation Strategy is Key to Success

Product differentiation is a method for companies to make their products stand out and grab consumers' attention. It’s also known as a product differentiation strategy.

Your strategy should tap into what your brand does best and then communicate those advantages to potential customers. A business's differentiation strategy depends on its industry, competitive market, and products or services.

Now that you know what product differentiation is, why does having a strategy in place matter? Well…

The Importance of Having a Differentiation Strategy

A product differentiation strategy helps a brand to develop a competitive advantage. And, that can be tough. According to Gila Shapiro, a product marketing manager at Riverside.fm, “the most challenging part of developing a truly distinctive product in my industry is noise.”

There are so many options to choose from that sometimes, consumers face choice overload and decision fatigue.

“Most competitors all claim to be “the best” at everything. Cutting through that requires more than innovation — it demands precision,” Gila says.

That’s why your differentiation strategy matters. You can’t just make new offerings and expect people to come over. You have to communicate your advantage in a way that builds goodwill with customers. Your strategy gives buyers a reason to come back to you again and again.

Businesses that make product differentiation work for them have the following qualities:

• They’re innovative and inventive. New offerings can help products stand out. These brands have a strong research and development team.
• The company has the resources to create high-quality products or services. For example, a company may have a distinctly responsive support team.
• The brand’s marketing and sales strategies communicate the competitive advantage of the product.

If your brand is distinct, your company becomes recognizable. Customers are also more likely to pick your product over a generic or undifferentiated product or service. Think about how Heinz Ketchup. I love the brand’s blend of sweetness and vinegar. Generic brands can’t compare, so I always reach for Heinz.

Apple is another example — and I’m a huge fan! I find Mac computers easy to navigate. Plus, software like Pages and iMovie still come with the computer, something PCs don’t offer. It’s often more money, but I’m too loyal to change.

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Types of Product Differentiation

Like every strategy, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. However, there are a few buckets that product differentiation falls into. Keep reading to see where you fit.

Price

If your product is cheaper than competitors, you can attract business. In the best-case scenario, the cheaper option is just as good as the more expensive option (a dupe, if you will). However, sometimes a cheaper product is what you need, even if the quality isn’t top of the line.

A great example? Swinging by a Dunkin’ for coffee. A Dunkin’ iced coffee is usually cheaper than its competitors. It’s not as fancy as Blue Bottle, but when I need a quick caffeine boost, it gets the job done.

Quality and Reliability

Sometimes, price is less important than the quality. You may want something top-of-the-line that will last a life time, pulling you away from lower-caliber offerings. As my dad always says, “But once, cry once.”

When I think about quality, food always presents a great example. Rao’s tomato sauce is expensive. However, the quality of the ingredients and the flavor can’t be beat. Meanwhile, when it comes to reliability, I think about cars. Toyotas and Hondas have a reputation for lasting decades before they break down. When I ask about reliable cars, these two brands always come up.

Features

This category is very straightforward. Offering features that other brands don’t can set your product apart. That can be especially helpful if you have a genuine helpful feature in your bundle that other companies lack.

For example, in the world of CRMs, not every offering complies with HIPPA. So, a health insurance company would be limited to CRMs that allow for this compliance.

Design

Great design — whether that be for a physical or a digital user interface — can attract customers. If your product is easier to use than other options, customers in search of a no-fuss fix will flock your way.

I bought a Breville Bambino, a simple espresso machine that I can have at home. I picked this specific model because it’s easy to use. I can choose between a double and a single shot of espresso. Then I press a button to foam milk. I chose this simple design so I can make great lattes at home easily.

Location

If your business is brick-and-mortar, location is an important differentiating factor. Your customers want to go to the closest option for, say, groceries or a cup of coffee. That’s why I go to the 99 Ranch by my house instead of the Asian grocery store across town.

Brand Image

There’s a little bit of storytelling that goes into differentiation. You can see this in brand image. If your customers love what you stand for or how you run your business, you can earn their loyalty. For example, Patagonia uses sustainable materials and Fair Trade Certified factories. Because I care about the planet, I’m more likely to shop from the clothing brand.

Customization

While customization can mean adding a name to a product, the concept goes so much further. If people can pick exactly what’s in their plan and choose from a buffet of options, they get a customized experience. Both approaches can help you gain market share.

Think about Spotify’s suggestions and end-of-year Wrapped recap. That’s an offering customized to the listener.

Distribution Channels

Distribution channels are where products are available for customers to purchase. For example, a denim jacket can be sold online, at the brand’s store, and at third-party retailers. Where your product is available can be a differentiating factor. For example, I may be more likely to try a new snack I find at the store than one I gave to buy online.

Post-Sale Support

For certain purchases, customers want guidance even after they’ve swiped their credit card. In these instances, post-sales support is an essential differentiating factor. For example, when I shopped for a web hosting platform, I wanted an option with human customer support to help me get set up.

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Vertical Product Differentiation vs. Horizontal Product Differentiation

Product differentiation typically falls within two categories: vertical and horizontal. However, customers may use a mix of the two to determine whether or not to make a purchase.

Vertical Product Differentiation

Vertical product differentiation is based on a measurable attribute like price or quality. For example, a customer may choose a product that ranks highest for quality over other brands. For other customers, price point may be the most important factor, so they choose the least expensive item.

For example, generic vs. branded products at the grocery store. Swanson chicken broth tastes better than the generic brand at Safeway — I can tell when I take a taste of both. But, if I’m making a bigger dish with a little bit of broth, I may opt for the cheaper, generic option.

Horizontal Product Differentiation

Horizontal product differentiation refers to factors that aren’t measurable, such as personal preference. This typically occurs when products or services have roughly the same price point. For example, a customer may choose the chicken sandwich from Shake Shack over Chick-fil-A based on personal preference rather than quality or cost concerns.

Customers may use mixed differentiation when making more involved purchases that combine vertical and horizontal differentiation attributes.

For example, if you want to buy health insurance, you’ll consider vertical differentiation attributes like cost, in-network physicians, and coverage. You may also consider brand recognition and perceived image, which would fall under the horizontal differentiation category.

This decision is a mix of vertical and horizontal product differentiation.

Product Differentiation Strategies That Work

There’s a lot of talk about differentiating a product in a market. But how exactly can businesses make it work? Here are some tried-and-true strategies, including insights from expert product marketing managers.

Use the MAYA principle.

The MAYA principle stands for “Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable.” It is a design principle that guides brands in creating products that balance innovation and user ease of use.

Concerning the MAYA principle, Mia Čomić, a product marketing manager at Learnworlds, says, “If you’re too novel, the customers will tune you out. If you’re too familiar, you won’t captivate their attention. It’s sort of like a Goldilocks’ issue of product development.”

Instead of innovating or adding new features just because everyone else is doing so, you should focus on what those features can do for your users. Ask yourself: Do my users need these features? Does this feature assist them in my product's typical use case?

Čomić adds, “Innovation can be easily communicated if you center your narrative around what specific features can do for your users. It’s so simple, yet very few companies do it right. But you won't get far if you innovate just for bragging rights and PR.”

For example, Čomić notes that LearnWorlds made a decision to carefully think through how they would implement AI functionality within the platform. “It was never about having AI just for the sake of it. If innovation is in the service of the users, then my job as a PMM gets a lot easier,” Čomić says.

Focus on your customers.

There will always be noise, and chasing the next new shiny thing might seem exciting. But, instead of doing that, focus on your customers.

This was what Shapiro did with her team.

Shapiro notes, “Instead of joining the noise, we focused entirely on our customers. What inspired our audience? What did they secretly wish for but hadn’t been offered yet? Differentiation, we realized, wasn’t about us — it was about showing them how they could achieve more.”

So, what can you do to focus on your audience or customers? Here are Shapiro’s top three recommendations.

• Dig into their emotional needs. Beyond features, explore what would make your audience feel confident and capable. How could you help them create something extraordinary? Frame every message around what your audience would gain and not what you’re selling.
• Be simple and clear. Focus on the one promise you can deliver better than anyone else. Then, communicate it in a way that cuts through the clutter. Instead of a laundry list of features, answer their most pressing question: “How will this help the customer succeed?”
• Continuously refine your message. Your messaging shouldn’t be static. Instead, treat it as a live conversation, testing what resonates, listening to feedback, and adjusting quickly. When something clicks, lean in harder. When it doesn’t, pivot.

Sure enough, this strategy helps Riverside.fm differentiate its products in the market. But it does way more than that. The strategy has helped them build connections with their audience. Now, users feel Riverside.fm is a product made just for them.

A resource like the HubSpot Product Marketing Kit provides critical support for teams executing these customer-focused strategies. This resource offers templates, guides, and frameworks that enable product marketing teams to research customer needs across channels.

Consolidate services.

While it’s vital to focus on a particular feature that makes you stand out, sometimes what you’re known for is that your product is a one-in-all solution. All of the strategies work together. Listening to or focusing on your customers often reveals that they don’t want to deal with software bloat. They want a tool that provides all they need in one place.

Bolaji Anifowose used this strategy as a PMM at Simpu.

He says, “During my time at Simpu, we operated in a crowded market for customer communication tools. To differentiate, we focused on creating a product that combined marketing (email and SMS) and support (chat, text, email, and social media) into one seamless platform.”

According to Anifowose, many competitors offered marketing and support tools as standalone solutions. However, Simpu identified the frustration early-stage companies and SMBs faced when juggling multiple disconnected platforms.

He continues, “Our solution was tailored specifically for these businesses, which often couldn't afford enterprise-level tools or the inefficiencies of managing separate systems.”

You can tell whether you need to consolidate services and products by adopting a customer-centric approach. This approach involves conducting extensive customer interviews to understand their pain points. You can then prioritize features that alleviate these challenges.

Challenge the status quo.

Challenging the status quo as a product differentiation strategy is one of my favorite approaches because it’s bold. It’s about addressing inefficiencies and unmet needs in an existing market. Often, it feels like rooting for the underdog who sees things differently and takes on established giants.

It’s a strategy Dollar Shave Club used to stand out in a market dominated by overly complicated products. It was how Apple disrupted the tech industry and how Tesla did the same in the electric vehicle market.

Of course, you cannot challenge the status quo with an inferior product. Your product needs to be on par and, in many cases, better than what is already available to customers.

What I find especially powerful about this strategy is the storytelling. It’s not just about saying, “We’re different.” It’s about showing why the old way isn’t working and how the new way makes life better for people like me. That authenticity and sense of purpose make me more loyal to those brands.

Challenging the status quo is a high-risk, high-reward move. When executed correctly, it can result in strong customer loyalty and even a cult-like following.

Use design and style.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, it’s not. Most companies create outstanding products that hide behind boring designs. You can differentiate your product by making it beautiful and memorable. Great design can elevate even the most mundane items and turn them into something exciting.

Consider Happy Socks’ example. They make socks — products don’t get much more boring than that. However, by using bold colors and quirky patterns, they turned a simple, everyday product into a fun statement piece.

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These designs communicate without words and spark a connection between products and the market. Whenever I buy something because of its design, it feels more like a personal experience than a transaction.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Product Differentiation

Before pursuing a product differentiation strategy, it's best to review its advantages and disadvantages. This knowledge can help you know where to lean in and which pitfalls to avoid.

Advantages of Product Differentiation

• Product differentiation will give your prospective customers added value. This value can come directly from the product, service, or brand perception.
• Every time people see your products on store shelves or in an online ad, they‘ll know exactly what your brand represents. Plus, they’ll be more likely to choose your product over the competition.
• With product differentiation, companies can compete in areas other than price. They can innovate in style, quality, features, etc. It's up to the business to decide which area of differentiation will work best for their target markets.

Disadvantages of Product Differentiation

• A differentiation strategy doesn‘t necessarily guarantee that consumers will see the value that distinguishes your product from other standard options. For example, if your product is more expensive because of its quality and the consumer doesn’t see the added value, they’ll choose the cheaper option.
• As consumers become savvier and technology and products advance, your product's differentiation might no longer provide value to customers. You should consider how long your differentiation strategy will last and whether it will need to be modified at a later date.
• Pursuing a differentiation strategy means investing resources in developing a product that sets itself apart. This can burden R&D teams, product manufacturers, and your profit margins. These effects are felt more by smaller businesses that have few employees and limited resources.

Product Differentiation Examples

1. Trader Joe's

Main Competitors: Whole Foods, Kroger, Sprouts

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[alt text] example of product differentiation: Trader Joe's

Trader Joe‘s has earned a dedicated following among shoppers thanks to the brand’s friendliness and unique items. I mean, who can resist those Hawaiian shirts, free samples, and friendly banter?

Trader Joe‘s sets itself above the competition by leveraging its friendly service and combining it with unique, often seasonal, items. Its stores’ compact footprint and handwritten signs advertising the day‘s deals make shoppers feel like they’re in a local establishment rather than a national chain.

Most of all, Trader Joe‘s delivers high-quality items shoppers can’t get anywhere else, all at a budget-friendly cost.

2. Airstream

Main competitors: Fleetwood, Jayco, Winnebago

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[alt text] Product Differentiation Example: Airstream

Airstream RVs have a retro mystique. They're silver, streamlined, and highly recognizable on the road. The company sets its RVs apart from the competition by focusing on quality — which increases the product’s value over time. Higher quality means lower maintenance costs and higher resale value.

Plus, they're known to last for generations. According to the company’s site, “Since the 1930s, Airstreams have been handed down from generation to generation, passed on to family members, friends, or new adventurers.”

Airstream's brand is further developed through its heritage, which builds trust with potential customers and highlights its success over the years. With the tagline “Live Riveted,” Airstream inspires people to travel with an RV.

3. Billie

Main Competitors: Flamingo, Harry’s, Dollar Shave Club

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Billie differentiates itself from typical direct-to-consumer body care brands by focusing on women first. The brand combats the pink tax, provides premium products, and makes the future brighter for all women. This strategy has helped the company realize monumental success and develop a recognizable brand with a positive reputation.

Billie's co-founder, Georgina Gooley, said in an interview with Columbia Women’s Business Society, “We knew right away that we wanted to create a brand that put women first in a category that had always considered them an afterthought. Our goal is to create a little bit of magic in the mundane and make an everyday routine more enjoyable (and a lot more affordable!).”

By positioning itself as a champion of women of all sizes, shades, and grooming habits, Billie has carved out a niche in direct-to-consumer personal care.

4. Fabletics

Main Competitors: Lululemon, Athleta (by Gap)

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Like Billie, Fabletics positioned its brand toward women of all sizes and backgrounds for its direct-to-consumer activewear brand. With Kate Hudson at the helm, Fabletics offers quality, stylish clothes on par with competitors like Lululemon, minus the elitism.

The company often partners with celebrities and athletes for each of its campaigns, including Kevin Hart, to launch its new menswear line. Additionally, they've partnered with Lizzo to launch her new size-inclusive shapewear line, YITTY.

Each month, Fabletics rolls out a new collection of styles, separating it from the competition and ensuring that consumers always have fresh looks to try.

5. Nike

Main competitors: Under Armour, Adidas, Reebok International

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What separates Nike from the competition is its branding. The company positions itself as innovative and creates high-quality sports apparel and shoes.

The company partners with high-profile athletes, including Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, and others, to wear and promote Nike apparel. Such partnerships attract new (and returning) customers because many aspire to be like their favorite athletes.

Nike also creates new and innovative product lines. These offerings create buzz and excitement. Promotions pique the interest of new customers and keep existing customers returning for more.

6. Lush

Main competitors: The Body Shop, Origins, Sephora

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Lush stands out from other cosmetic brands because it focuses on fresh, handmade cosmetics — something most generic cosmetic brands don't often do.

Messaging is another area where Lush stands out from the crowd. Their target customer values social responsibility, and the company takes it to heart. All the products are made using natural, vegetarian ingredients, reusable and recyclable packaging, and without animal testing.

Each visit to a Lush store offers a unique experience. You can test out products and have your questions answered by friendly store associates. Each aspect of Lush's differentiation strategy makes it a recognizable and well-loved brand.

For even more product differentiation examples, check out these companies that brilliantly differentiated themselves from the competition.

A Product Differentiation Strategy is Key to Success

A well-planned product differentiation strategy can set your business and brand apart from competitors and make it memorable. It’s about giving your customers a reason to choose you in a sea of competitors.

Whether through bold design, innovative features, or challenging the norms of your industry, differentiation creates value that resonates on a deeper level. For me, the best strategies are the ones that feel personal and authentic. I want something that solves real problems and sparks joy.

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