4.3 Positioning: How to Win

Proponents of Means-End Theory believe that knowing what people buy is not enough; we also need to understand why people buy. Understanding the ‘why’ is just as important as knowing the ‘what’. When trying to explain buying behavior, it’s a mistake to limit our focus to vague, poorly defined features, such as lightweight laptop, or to jump straight to emotional benefits and values, such as freedom to work anywhere. That’s an oversimplification.

In practice, the concrete features customers can see and touch—and how these features connect to the positive emotions they feel—are both critically important to how they choose products and remain loyal to brands. These physical cues are not trivial; they’re the anchors that connect abstract values to something consumers can confidently choose, justify, and stick with.

Physical cues answer questions like the following:

• How much does a lightweight laptop actually weigh?

• Which laptop models feel light in my backpack?

• What does a “fuel-efficient car” actually get in miles per gallon?

• How does a “moisturizing lotion” feel when applied?

In fact, laddering often works in both directions. We ladder up from features to benefits to emotions and values, discovering what motivates buyers. But we also ladder down, turning vague desires (“I want something lightweight”) into concrete features that shape product design, messaging, and customer experience.

As marketers, we shouldn’t overlook the importance of laddering down or treat physical “see and touch” features as throwaways. That risks offering abstract promises without the real-world cues that make those promises believable and actionable for customers.

Think of it this way: Emotional benefits and values pull the buyer toward the brand; concrete features anchor the choice and reinforce loyalty. So while customers might stay loyal because a brand connects with positive emotions and reflects their values, they notice and buy based on what they can touch, feel, and trust. That’s why the best positioning strategies use both concrete features that signal quality and relevance and emotional connections that sustain loyalty over time.

When retired Walmart CEO Lee Scott reflected on what pushed him to make sustainability a core strategy, he didn’t cite market trends or cost savings. He pointed to two personal moments:

1. Chairman Rob Walton’s push: Walton encouraged Scott to think deeply about the environmental and social impact Walmart could have, influenced by Walton’s work with Conservation International.

2. Hurricane Katrina (2005): As Walmart’s supply chain became a lifeline for devastated communities, Scott asked:

   “How could we be that Walmart all the time? Just because you’re big, do you have to be bad? Can’t you use size, scale, and scope in a way that is actually positive?”1

These moments launched a cultural shift at Walmart, from price leadership only to price leadership plus sustainability leadership.

Walmart worked with sustainability trailblazer Jib Ellison and a team of industry and academic researchers to conduct laddering interviews and develop a Hierarchical Value Map (HVM).

The goal: Uncover the positive emotions associated with sustainability and how those emotions connect with concrete, see-and-touch changes Walmart could pursue to make sustainability a core part of its culture.

The research revealed that both consumers and employees were motivated by more than just saving money.

Walmart wanted to make important attributes visible and tangible. To act on what they learned from the HVM (Hierarchical Value Map), Walmart launched programs to make key attributes—like affordable, effective, and sustainable products and packaging—more visible and tangible for customers.

Here’s how they brought HVM attributes to life.

What did we learn from this? People care about sustainability—but only when it feels personal, practical, and rewarding. Doing the “right thing” wasn’t enough. Customers responded when sustainability delivered real value to them, fit their lifestyle, and reinforced their identity as smart, responsible consumers.

In short? Sustainability had to make sense—not just make a statement.

How to read the map:

• At the bottom: Concrete attributes and actions—what Walmart and customers can see, touch, and do.

  Example: Buying affordable, effective sustainable products. Lowering chemical and carbon footprint.

• In the middle: Functional and emotional benefits—why those actions matter emotionally.

  Example: Reducing waste. Conserving resources. Reducing corporate impact. Feeling empowered. Acting together to conserve the future. Belonging to a global community.

• At the top: Core personal values—what customers ultimately want to achieve or express.

  Example: Making progress by benefiting future generations. Feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Thicker lines in the map show the strongest connections customers made—the pathways most likely to influence real-world decisions. Larger text highlights the most powerful values and benefits across many customers.

This wasn’t just another benefit. It was the pivot point—the idea that connected Walmart’s actions to customers’ deepest motivations.

In laddering terms, it’s where both logic and emotion agree, “Yes, this is why we should care.”

In behavioral science, this leverage point taps into both logic and emotion—but it’s emotion that ultimately drives action. Picture it like this: logic is the rider, but emotion is the elephant. The rider might steer, but without the elephant’s energy, nothing moves. This powerful metaphor, introduced by psychologist Jonathan Haidt2 and later popularized by Chip and Dan Heath,3 reminds us that persuasive strategies must engage the heart as much as the mind.

• The rider wants a rational reason to act

  “My purchase reduces waste and conserves resources.”

• The elephant seeks emotional satisfaction

  “I feel empowered and proud to protect the future with others.”

By identifying this leverage point through laddering, Walmart discovered not only what to communicate but also how to inspire action across millions of customers. It’s the kind of insight that doesn’t just inform messaging; it also shapes it. It drives company-wide strategy and culture change.

Functional benefits: Waste reduction, conserving resources, and environmental protection

Emotional benefits: Empowerment, pride, belonging to a movement

Personal values: Making progress, protecting the planet, and family legacy

The ad didn’t just list features. It laddered up to emotional and personal values, helping customers feel both smart and inspired for choosing sustainable products.

In doing so, Walmart made the HVM insights not just a strategy—but a story.

The sustainability strategy wasn’t just talk:

• 12.7% absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

• 80% waste diversion from landfills

• Over 180 renewable energy projects developed worldwide

• Acres for America: Over 690,000 acres permanently protected

• As of 2023, 46% of Walmart’s electricity came from renewable sources

• Through Project Gigaton, Walmart and its suppliers avoided over 750 million metric tons of emissions—equivalent to taking 160 million cars off the road