Perceptual Maps (Positioning maps/P-maps)

A perceptual map (P-map) is a tool used to illustrate the consumer’s perceptions of a product/ brand.

A perceptual map is a tool for determining the position of a brand in the marketplace, based on consumer perceptions of the brand and its competitors, using attributes that are important to consumers.

The various attributes can be: expensive/inexpensive brand, high/low price, premium/ budget price, high/low quality, etc.

Perceptual Maps are used to determine how various brands are perceived according to the key attributes that customers value. This is important because positioning is a two-way process by which organisations seek to impose attribute perceptions onto customers and customers assimilate those perceptions, modify them or reject them entirely (Baines, Fill and Rosengren, 2017).

A Perceptual Map is also called as a positioning map (P-map). You can read more on positioning in marketing.

When designing a perceptual map for any business, its important to remember the following:

• Why do you think they are in that position against their competitors?
• Identify the most important variables for their target market and use these on the axis of your PERCEPTUAL map.
• Explain WHY these variables are important to the target market.

Video explaining Perceptual Mapping and Product Positioning