How
and why do advertisers target audiences?
Why is it important for advertisers to classify
and target audiences?
When creating a product, producers always have a rough idea
as to who their main target audience will be. The product could be some new
school shoes that light up so therefore the target audience will be school
children and then perhaps narrowed down to primary school children. It is
deeply important for a target audience to be set so that they know how to
approach the making of the advert, what content to have, what the pace of the
editing should be like and how to keep it interesting to the specific age range
of the target audience.
What methods are there for classifying
audiences?
There are many demographic and psychographic ways of
classifying audiences here are some examples:
Demographic:
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Social
grades:
Social grades are exactly what the name says. People are graded on their level of class, A being the highest class and E being the lowest. The most common social grade is C1 and C2 this is because these two grades are for working class people.
Social grades are exactly what the name says. People are graded on their level of class, A being the highest class and E being the lowest. The most common social grade is C1 and C2 this is because these two grades are for working class people.
-
Household
income:
Household income is based on who within the household takes in the most income. Advertisers look at how much income one household is taking in from the person who has the most income. This can be an unfair strategy because nobody in the household could be taking in any working income so therefore they won’t be advertised to.
Another disadvantage to this is the main household worker may not be taking in a lot of income.
Household income is based on who within the household takes in the most income. Advertisers look at how much income one household is taking in from the person who has the most income. This can be an unfair strategy because nobody in the household could be taking in any working income so therefore they won’t be advertised to.
Another disadvantage to this is the main household worker may not be taking in a lot of income.
-
Age:
Age is a typical demographic classification. The advertisers review who their product would appeal to the most and then they create the advert to appeal to that certain age range.
Age is a typical demographic classification. The advertisers review who their product would appeal to the most and then they create the advert to appeal to that certain age range.
-
Gender:
Gender is another typical demographic classification. It is reasonably self-explanatory. The advertisers will look at what gender their product will appeal to the most and then create that advert based on the gender of their target audience.
Gender is another typical demographic classification. It is reasonably self-explanatory. The advertisers will look at what gender their product will appeal to the most and then create that advert based on the gender of their target audience.
Psychographic:
-
Interests:
The advertisers will look at what interest people and that will help form their target audience. They can find out interests through market research. They can send out a survey and the results will help determine the target audience.
The advertisers will look at what interest people and that will help form their target audience. They can find out interests through market research. They can send out a survey and the results will help determine the target audience.
-
Music:
The advertisers will look at the musical interests of people. This is usually based around the product. If the product is a set of earphones, they may look at what music works best for the ear phones (metal, dub-step etc.) and then they will look at what music people listen to and aim the advert based on that specific genre.
The advertisers will look at the musical interests of people. This is usually based around the product. If the product is a set of earphones, they may look at what music works best for the ear phones (metal, dub-step etc.) and then they will look at what music people listen to and aim the advert based on that specific genre.
-
Beliefs:
This is very rarely looked at and is looked at the same way as interests and music. They will look at the beliefs through market research and then base their advert around that.
This is very rarely looked at and is looked at the same way as interests and music. They will look at the beliefs through market research and then base their advert around that.
Now I will put on some adverts
and link them to the demographic and psychographics of which I think they’re
based and what techniques they use. I will add my reasons why I think they’re
based around each thing.
Compare
the meerkat – advert 52:
|
Demographic/Psychographic/Techniques
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Reasons
|
|
Age
(demographic)
|
The
advert offers 2 for 1 on cinema tickets at the end. Younger people who have
perhaps just learned to drive will be drawn to this because the cinema is
mainly visited by younger generations.
|
|
Celebrity
endorsement (technique)
|
The
advert has Arnold Schwarzenegger who is an older celebrity and well known.
This may appeal to middle aged people because they have a better chance of
knowing who he is and this may draw them to the advert.
|
Age
UK advert – love later life:
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Demographic/Psychographic/Techniques
|
Reasons
|
|
Age
(demographic)
|
This is
aimed at older people. The company itself is aimed at older people. This is
an obvious demographic and it will encourage and determine older people to do
something and get motivated to do something with their free time e.g. make a
website or app (as suggested in the advert).
|
|
Maternal
(technique)
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At the
beginning of the advert there is a baby. This may instantly trigger the
maternal instincts of someone. Older people seem to be more maternal anyway
in my opinion so they will continue watching the advert and will be more
intrigues on listening and watching it.
|
|
Music
(psychographic)
|
The
music is slow but joyful at the same time which is what older people normally
go for. Older people prefer peaceful and slow music as opposed to a fast pop
track. This will help them connect with the advert and gain a better
understanding as to what the advert is about and it will give them a relaxed
feel from the advert.
|
McVities
digestive biscuit advert - kittens
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Demographic/Psychographic/Techniques
|
Reasons
|
|
Paternal
(technique)
|
The
advert is based around kittens. This will naturally make any paternal person
go “aww” at the advert which will make them want to continue watching it
because to a paternal person, kittens will be cute and they will be drawn
into watching the advert and finding out what the product is.
|
|
Social
grades (demographic)
|
This
advert is based in some sort of hospital. It is some nurses on their break
and they open a packet of digestives. This is aimed at working class people (Grades c1-c2) so it will attract and
draw in working people. They will then feel like buying a pack of digestives
for their break at work.
|
|
Age
(demographic)
|
The
advert is based on working class people. Working class people don’t usually
attend school or college and only go to work so therefore people who have
full time jobs will be more intrigued by this advert, however this can be
argued because it may appeal to children because of the kittens and children
are automatically more drawn in to small, cute things.
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