Case Study: Fargo Gas

FargoGas: "Fastest gas in the West!"

Everyone who drives wants to fill up their gas tank quickly, cheaply, and conveniently as possible. A small local gas company (in Fargo, ND) with one or two local service stations could differentiate itself from its competition by advertising its business as the fastest fill-up service, with on-premise signs, handouts, premiums, T-shirts, local tie-ins, and other reminders. The gas tank pumping islands could be maintained at maximum pressures and speed of filling at all times, with the most powerful gasoline pumps available.

Premiums, given away with every 25 and 100 gallons, credited on a frequent filler card, could reinforce this positioning:

• road-runner logo-imprinted handiwipe cloth with the company slogan
• baseball caps or winter sock hats
• model cars, boats, motorcycles, etc.

If the station's target consumer is primarily male and 16-49, then local celebrity speeders (e.g., dragsters, racing cars, motorcycles, etc.) could exhibit their vehicles at the station. Logos and slogans on the vehicles could also promote the station's market positioning. Further protection could be gained by ensuring that prices are competitive with other service stations. A friendly "station personality" could be adopted by all employees, based on currently popular media figures.

If a local competitor decides to try the same approach, with the same equipment, they would have to work very hard and spend significantly more money to compete with the preemptive positioning of FargoGas as the "fastest" in the market.