Final answer:
Before positioning a product, marketers generate intangible aspects such as guarantees, reputation, and services, using advertising to shape consumer perceptions and differentiate products.
Step-by-step explanation:
Successful marketers often focus on creating intangible aspects of a product before they begin positioning the product. These aspects can include a guarantee of satisfaction, a reputation for high quality, added services such as free delivery, or financial aids like offering a loan to purchase the product. A key part of this process involves advertising that shapes buyers' perceptions and can lead to product differentiation in the minds of buyers, an effect that's especially notable in products where physical differences are minimal or undetectable such as in ketchup, beer, or cigarettes. Additionally, storefront displays can manipulate a shopper's emotions and create the image that a product offers status and life enhancement beyond its practical utility.