Socio-Economic Group / Scale
This is a way of describing an audience based on the kind of job they do and the money they earn.
A High Managerial jobs earning top salaries eg:
B Middle managerial jobs earning good salaries eg:
C1 Junior managerial jobs or supervisory jobs earning average salaries eg:
C2 Skilled manual worker eg:
D Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers eg:
E Pensioners, students, the unemployed
An example of how to use this in a sentence:
“The socio-economic status of the target audience for The Sun Newspaper is C2, D and E.”
Demographic Profile
This is a way of describing an audience based on factual information about them. It might include aspects such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Class
- Ethnicity
- Nationality
- Sexuality
- Ability / Disability
- Relationship Status
- Number of Children
An example of how to use this in a sentence: “The audience demographic for The Sun Newspaper is mainly straight, white, British, working class men, aged 18-30.”
Psychographic Profile
This is a way of describing an audience based on their personalities. It might include things such as:
- Fashion / style
- Personality
- Behaviour
- Values
An example of how to use this in a sentence:
“The target audience for the I phone 5 are confident, successful, techno savvy people, who enjoy using the newest technology.”
One advertising agency, Young & Rubicam, created this table to help them categorise audiences based on their personalities.
Title | Description |
The Explorer (needs discovery) | These people are driven by a need for discovery, challenge and new frontiers. Young in nature, if not in reality, Explorers are often the first to try out new ideas and experiences. They respond to brands that offer new sensations, indulgence and instant effects. In short, difference is what they seek out. Their core need in life is for discovery. |
The Aspirer (needs status) | Materialistic, acquisitive people, who are driven by others’ perceptions of them rather than by their own values. As a result, they respond to what others perceive as being superficial: image, appearance, persona, charisma and fashion. An attractive pack is as important to them as its contents. Their core need in life is for status. |
The Succeeder (needs control) | Succeeders possess self-confidence, have a strong goal orientation and tend to be very organised. As a result, they tend to occupy positions of responsibility in society. Their investment in the status quo means they tend to support it. When it comes to brands, they seek reward and prestige, and will often seek out the best, because that is what they feel they deserve. On the other hand, they also seek out caring and protective brands – their aggressive attitude to life means they need to relax occasionally. Their core need in life is for control. |
The Reformer (needs enlightenment) | “Don’t tell me what to do or what to think” says the Reformer, valuing their own independent judgement. Reformers are the most anti-materialistic of the seven groups, and are often perceived as intellectual. They are socially aware, and pride themselves on tolerance. Reformers seek out the authentic and the harmonious, and are often at the leading edge of society. However, unlike Explorers, they will not buy things just because they are new. Their core need in life is for enlightenment. |
The Mainstream (needs security) | These are people who live in the world of the domestic and the everyday. A daily routine is fundamental to the way they live their lives. Their life choices are ‘we’ rather than ‘me’. As their name implies, they are the mainstream of society. They are the largest group of people within 4Cs across the world. They respond to big established brands, to ‘family’ brands and to offers of value for money. Their core need in life is for security. |
The Struggler (needs escape) | Strugglers live for today, and make few plans for tomorrow. Others often see them as victims, losers and wasters - aimless, disorganised people with few resources apart from their own physical skills. If they get on in life, it will depend more on a winning lottery ticket than anything they do themselves. They are heavy consumers of alcohol and junk food. Visual impact and physical sensation are an important element of their brand choices. In essence, they seek escape. |
The Resigned (needs safety) | These are predominantly older people with constant, unchanging values built up over time. For them, the past is bathed in a warm nostalgic glow. They respect institutions and enjoy acting in traditional roles. Their brand choices are driven by a need for safety and for economy. They choose above all what is familiar to them. In life, their aim is basic: it is to survive. |
Way of using this in a sentence:
“ Young and Rubicam would categorise the target audience for Tesco supermarket as being in “The Mainstream” group as they value domestic things like shopping and family. They enjoy value for money items”.
