We need to study both how audiences are targeted and also why audiences enjoy or use certain types of media. There are a range of theories we need to learn over the next few lessons alongside important terminology.
Target audience profiling
Media institutions are always looking for more detailed audience profiling – so they can target their product more successfully.
These include VALS (values, attitudes and lifestyles) or Mosaic consumer classification. There's a good PDF explaining the Mosaic consumer classification here.
Advertisers and institutions also use Psychographics.
Young and Rubicam invented a successful psychographic profile known as their 4Cs Marketing Model: Cross Cultural Consumer Characterisation. They suggested people fit into one of seven groups:
Resigned
Rigid, strict, authoritarian and chauvinist values, oriented to the past and to Resigned roles. Brand choice stresses safety, familiarity and economy. (Older)
Strugglers
Alienated, Struggler, disorganised - with few resources apart from physical/mechanical skills (e.g. car repair). Heavy consumers of alcohol, junk food and lotteries, also trainers. Brand choice involves impact and sensation.
Mainstreamers
Domestic, conformist, conventional, sentimental, passive, habitual. Part of the mass, favouring big and well-known value for money 'family' brands. Almost invariably the largest 4Cs group.
Aspirers
Materialistic, acquisitive, affiliative, oriented to extrinsics ... image, appearance, charisma, persona and fashion. Attractive packaging more important than quality of contents. (Younger, clerical/sales type occupation)
Succeeders
Strong goal orientation, confidence, work ethic, organisation ... support status quo, stability. Brand choice based on reward, prestige - the very best . Also attracted to 'caring' and protective brands ... stress relief. (Top management)
Explorers
Energy - autonomy, experience, challenge, new frontiers. Brand choice highlights difference, sensation, adventure, indulgence and instant effect - the first to try new brands. (Younger - student)
Reformers
Freedom from restriction, personal growth, social awareness, value for time, independent judgement, tolerance of complexity, anti-materialistic but intolerant of bad taste. Curious and enquiring, support growth of new product categories. Select brands for intrinsic quality, favouring natural simplicity, small is beautiful. (Higher Education)
Psychographics: pair presentations
In pairs, you are going to investigate one of Young and Rubicam’s Psychographic groups.
You need to put together a presentation in which you create an example couple for that particular psychographic group and suggest what their media consumption might involve.
Note: You need to publish the tasks on each of your blogs individually.
Structure
Who you are working with:
The psychographic group you are researching:
Introduce your example couple that represents your group:
1) Make up their names:
2) Where do they work/study?
3) What do they do in their spare time?
Now suggest their media consumption:
Print: What newspapers/magazines does your group read (if any)? Is this on paper or tablet?
Broadcast: What TV programmes/channels do your group watch? Radio stations? TV package – Freeview or Sky? Films?
Online: What technology do they own? What websites do they visit (if any)? What social media do they use?
Homework: Audience classification blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to complete your introductory work on audience and psychographic profiling:
1) Make sure your psychographics presentation is uploaded on your blog with all details of the couple and their media consumption (it needs to be on everybody's blog individually but can be a duplicate of your partner's post).
2) Which psychographic group do you feel best fits YOUR lifestyle and personality? Explain how and why you made your decision and provide evidence justifying this.
Due date: Monday 4 November
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