Strategy Briefs are fascinating! Defining a target consumer for a particular brand is so nuanced and contextual that you can’t help but be impressed by the process. Furthermore, if planners can accurately aim a brands’ message to the specific media outlets that have a kinship with the target audience described in the Brief … Home Run!
Here’s a great example on how one agency defines their clients’ target customer; The “Brand Socialite” (referred to from here on as “BS”):
The BS is extremely loyal to the brands that they choose to allow into their circle. But beware! They can switch brands at anytime. They are social, enjoy hosting gatherings with friends and loved ones but are highly independent and sometimes need to be left alone for long periods of time. They like dogs and hate turtles. Most of them are gainfully employed, have either a high school diploma, 2 or 4 year college degree. They are Male or Female in HH’s earning $55k+ per year. Research has shown that when control groups of BS’s are asked “Do you think that your own selective perception mechanism as it relates to Brand Advertising is highly attenuated during live events?”, they all share a remarkably similar response – “What the heck are you talking about?!“. A typical BS either has, will, or will never have, children. If they are married they are either very happy or miserable and divorce is not uncommon among them. Very tech savvy is the BS. Leveraging technology in ways that improve their lives comes naturally to them. Quantum Spider-webbing, or jumping on and off a variety of platforms, is routine to the BS and therefore makes it difficult to map their online persona and stalk them with online advertising. Because their disparate platform use indicates a high incidence of Attention Deficit Disorder, it is safe to assume that they can not sit still and if left without a connected device are prone to injuring themselves or others. They shop online AND they shop in brick and mortar stores. Psychographic attributes include: media trust, curiosity, obligation to family, self-reliance, authenticity, self-destructive behavior, selfishness, being sincere, gardening, cooking, belonging to organizations, laziness and insecurity. The BS is into fitness and believes a healthy lifestyle is appropriate but occasionally can be prone to fall off the wagon, gorge themselves and get inebriated. A typical BS believes in the afterlife but regards the notion of Ghosts and Zombies as preposterous. But if a BS is asked, “Do you think that Aliens exists?”, the most likely answer will be “Yes…because I’m sure I’ve been abducted by them“. ALL BS’s are indigenous to the planet earth and rely heavily on Oxygen and Water as key elements in sustaining life. They are just about able to make ends meet, live paycheck to paycheck and carry (on average) a staggering $15,762 in credit card debt.
