In 25 Years, Across 50 Categories, User Profiles for Directly Competing Brands Seldom Differ

Abstract

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> It has been claimed that the user profiles of directly competing brands seldom differ. This surprises many in marketing, leading to some doubts about the validity of the claim. In the empirical generalization tradition, the authors: re-examine the previous claim using newer data; consider the scope of the claim in terms of brands in emerging markets, private labels, variants, and composite segments; and discuss potential boundary conditions. Despite attempts by marketers to differentiate brands and provide customized features for distinct target audiences, the evidence of the current study confirms that user profiles of directly competing brands seldom differ.