What Is “Product Convergence?”

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As time goes on, product offering become more similar despite our personal brand preferences and unwillingness to accept that our favorite products really aren’t that different at all.

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In business marketing, one of the biggest obstacles for a marketing team to overcome is Product Differentiation. That is, “In what way is our product different from and superior to the competition products and how do we use that to drive demand?”

Why is this? As products evolve over time, there is a convergence in quality and features between manufacturers’ product lines due to consumer expectations. This means that differentiation is such a big hurdle because most products aren’t that different at all.

An easy way to illustrate product convergence in terms of quality and features is with automobile manufacturers. Features that were only available on premium models years ago are now standard issue as technologies become easier to produce. Think of the back up camera. Just a few years ago, the back up camera was an aftermarket accessory that had to be installed by the owner. Now, most new vehicles have a back up camera included. In a few more years, the back up camera will become standard on every vehicle and may even be required. Most automobile features are the same or similar across brands and models.

In terms of quality, there is an all out war between fans of Chevy and Ford. One will always tell you about the superior quality of their preferred manufacturer. The truth is that the quality of both manufacturers is similar enough that exists a debate about who’s better! If one were far and away a superior quality manufacturer, then the other would either go out of business or have to invest in creating better quality products.

Think about it this way: Back in the 90’s, the gold standard was just to get a vehicle to 100,000 miles to get your money’s worth. Now, whether you drive a Ford or a Chevy, you are equally likely to far surpass that milestone. This is largely because of manufacturers like Toyota which prided itself on reaching those milestones. The real disputes between the manufacturers are a lot smaller than the fanboys would want you to believe…or believe themselves.

With the convergence of all types of products, how do you stand out from the rest? One method of product differentiation is to create the perception of a premium offering. Take, for example, Kylie Jenner Cosmetics. There is nothing completely unique about their ingredients, sourcing, manufacturing process, etc., but there are a lot people out there more than willing to purchase their product line because of the perception of a premium product, despite the fact that it has a number of less expensive equivalents in every mall. Of course, many people will claim that Kylie Jenner Cosmetics does x, y, z differently, but that really just proves how powerful marketing has become and the Kylie Jenner’s personal brand value. Despite a sea of criticism, however, you cannot downplay Kylie Jenner’s individual success!

In fact, brand consumers often display the most explicit cognitive dissonance to save face with themselves (not others!) because the reality of the product’s capabilities often doesn’t match their statements or beliefs about it. The only way to resolve the internal conflict is to rationalize the situation. These are the most loyal customers that you can have because they will defend your brand and you will have a customer for life.

Maybe we can all learn a thing or two from Kylie Jenner.