Brand positioning of MAC Cosmetics.

People often talk about a brand as a modern patent—which suggests that there is something unique about it that cannot be copied. And indeed, creating that unique position is one of the most important tasks in building a strong global brand. The strongest brands have very clear positioning strategies that highlight their key benefits over all others in their product category.On that note, MAC Cosmetics has showed their brilliance in product positioning.From the very beginning, MAC took a very clear position in the marketplace. The buzz about MAC was built at fashion shows, through Madonna video clips, on the cutting edge of the arts. Originally for makeup professionals, the brand became even more desirable because of its real links to the fashion frontline. The brand also stood for diversity, with its extensive color ranges to suit “all sexes, all races, all ages.”
Founded by Frank Toskan of Canada in 1984, Makeup Art Cosmetics company is one of the few companies which has used innovative PR and unconventional marketing to create a niche for itself without spending millions of pounds in advertising. The company began by giving away their cosmetics to makeup artists that worked with top models and actresses. MAC developed products that helped artists achieve the right look for stage lighting conditions. It is one of the few brands on the market which has colours to match every skin tone and colour. Working on a simple all encompassing Brand Positioning of Makeup for All ages, all races, all sexes, its brand values project MAC Makeup as attitudinal hip, artfully irreverent, dedicated fully to the art of self-decoration and the realization of the Individual. The brand personality is cosmopolitan, innovative, irreverent, Original, which has almost created a Cult like following. Loved by women of all ages, it is one of the few fashion brands which truly transcend age. . MAC  fits into the classification of consumer products known as “shopping products”. A shopping product is usually more expensive than a convenience product and is found in fewer stores. Consumers usually buy a shopping product only after comparing several brands or stores on style, practicality, price and lifestyle compare-ability. They are willing to invest some effort into this process to get the desired benefits. There are two types of shopping products: homogenous and heterogeneous. MAC  is a perceived as a heterogeneous product because consumers perceive it as being essentially different – for example, furniture, housing, clothing and universities.As one of the 25 individual cosmetic brands that are owned by Estee Lauder cosmetics, MAC  varies in use and performance and meets the needs of specific market of women.
The MAC Cosmetics brand has experienced great success by evolving to stay relevant, utilizing effective positioning in terms of core values, brand personality and customer relationship, along with constantly delivering the brand promise overtime.
References:
1. http://www.thecoolhunter.net/article/detail/977/mac-cosmetics--how-they-got-started
2.  (Viral Marketing, November 9, 2007)
3. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Marketing-Paper-Mac-Cosmetics-39497179.html