According to the positioning strategy, Air France have two scopes namely Identification and differentiation. Under identification, the company defines the products it produces. Air France has to communicate to its clients the benefits of purchasing their products and the merits associated with the products. The differentiation aspect clarifies the distinction between the Air France products and those from other companies in the industry. The Air France has to create the differentiation position with regards to competition. Hence, the fundamental aim of positioning is to uncover the product in the mind of a client explicitly.
In positioning there are four main criteria that offer guidelines: i) credibility- the positioning should never be exceedingly theoretical; also it should not be exaggerated to avoid client disappointment. ii) Relevancy-the company has to select one or more criteria that conform to the main anticipation of the client exactly. iii) Simplicity: the positioning should be precise for easier understanding and iv) the positioning has to be unique and distinct from those employed by the competitors.
The Air France should endeavor to position itself as a creative company. Their ideas should tend to solve the main problems in the airlines industry. The company should use metals of lower density to minimize the weight of the aircrafts. This will lead to lower consumption of fuel. The main problem in the airline industry is the high rate of fuel consumption. The company is also subject to a vast range of information since it operates in many parts of the world such as Germany and Spain among other countries. Appropriate use of that information is essential since it would boost the company’s innovativeness.
As per the attack strategy, the company employs the indirect attack because they are not the leading company in the market. Thus, they have to rely on their competitor’s weaknesses to suggest “different” services in the market. Conversely, the company applies the preventive mechanism of defense. The company prioritizes a strong defense. Therefore, the preventive method can protect the company from its competitors as it strategizes absolute means with regards to the situation.
The distance and capacity forms the divisions in positioning. The creation of short distance and lower carriage capacity aircrafts constitute mass positioning. The long range planes consisting of large capacity constitute the secondary positioning. Niche positioning incorporates the production of short-range planes with high capacity. The Air France positions itself in the secondary market position that is, the company produces long range planes with high capacity.
With a clear understanding of the Air France, it is critical to understand that their main position is the secondary market. This is the main reason behind their sales, which consist of long range planes with high capacity.
Works Cited
Air France. Strategic approach: Air France sets its passengers apart from the crowd. Retrieved on April 14 2014 from http://corporate.airfrance.com/uploads/media/airfrance_sets_its_passengers_apart_from_t he_crowd.pdf
Caribbean News. Air France-KLM Turns to New Global Marketing Strategies. Retrieved on April 14 2014 from: http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/en/noticia/air-france-klm- turns-new-global-marketing-strategies
