Louise Cormack

Psychographic & Demographic Profiling

DEFINITION: Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

Businesses, such as media companies, use demographics to analyse the characteristics of the population.

This is a popular method of audience research that allows media producers to discover who their target audience should be

Demographics are divided into classes that help media producers research further details about their audience’s lifestyle.

Why use demographics?

Demographic Classes

Letter Code

Description & Occupation

Estimate Age

Example

A Higher managerial, administrative or professional

40-50 Company Director

B Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional

30-40 Middle Manager

C1 Supervisory, clerical, junior administrative or professional

25-45 Bank Clerk

C2 Skilled manual workers Non Specific

Plumber

D Semi or unskilled manual workers

Non Specific

Labourer

E State pensioners with no other income, widows and casual workers

0-15, 18-24, 65+

Unemployed

The specific outlook of what the target audience will be like means media producers can find ways of purposely advertising their music video towards their demographic directly.

Media producers who recognise their demographic can produce more detailed market research to find out more about what their target audience wants.

Positives of Demographics

In the music industry, demographics aren’t so important because your demographic group is highly unlikely to affect a person’s preferred music genre. Everybody has their own specific ‘taste’ in music, which cannot be accounted for by demographics.

Therefore psychographics may be more beneficial because they focus more on individuals.

Negatives of Demographics

DEFINITION: The study and classification of people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria, especially in market research.

Researching an individual’s psychographic means we can generalise what that individual will like and group them with like-minded individuals.

Businesses and media companies like using psychographics because it advises them on the best approach to advertising that will directly appeal to certain individuals.

Why use psychographics

Similar to demographics, there are different groups within psychographics that are used to make generalisations about certain groups.

This is more useful than demographics because they focus on occupation, which is not a good factor in determining people’s interest in music.

For all we know an accountant might have the same musical interest as someone studying at university.

Whereas using psychographics are much better when it comes to directly appealing to certain audiences because they focus on individuals’ personality and lifestyle.

Psychographic Segmentation

Psychographic GroupsMAINSTREAMERS

Domestic or conformist and prefer ‘family’ brands that provide value for money. They also follow the latest trends.These individuals seek security.

ASPIRERS Money-orientated and are focused on image and fashion. They are typically young people.These individuals seek status.

SUCCEEDERS Confident, aim high, strong work ethic and their brand choice is based upon self-reward and prestige, geared towards the best brands. Tend to take on professional roles such as top management,These individuals seek control.

RESIGNED Authoritarian views, strict and prejudice, follow traditional values and resigned roles. Brand choices reflect safety, familiarity and economy. Typically older people.These individuals seek survival.

EXPLORERS Enthusiastic, look for new experiences and challenges. Brand choices geared towards adventure and difference, the first to try new brands. Tend to be youthful individuals.These individuals seek discovery.

STRUGGLERS Typically only possess mechanical and/or physical skills and they tend to be disorganised. Typically heavy consumers of alcohol, junk food, cigarettes etc. Brand choices emphasize sensation.These individuals seek escape.

REFORMERS Independent, feel free from restrictions, acceptance of complexity, socially aware, not orientated towards money but poor taste is unacceptable. Known to be inquisitive and support new products, favouring brands of natural simplicity.These individuals seek enlightment.

EXPLORERS: I’d say my primary target audience would be explorers as both the genre of my music video and the video itself are not something you would probably see on MTV etc. Therefore I’d imagine those searching for something new would be more likely to view my music video.

STRUGGLERS: Although, strugglers may also find my music video appealing because they seek escape and my video deviates from the ‘norms’ of the real world.

I am thinking of targeting...