Marketing Communications

122 CHAPTER 4 TARGET GROUPS

On the basis of this analysis of attractiveness, the marketer will select a number of target

groups to focus on, based on their attractiveness and for which the company has relevant

strengths. Th is is called targeting. All further communications objectives, strategies and tactics

will be aimed at these specifi c groups. Hence, the promotional mix may diff er depending

on the diff erent target markets a company is focusing on in its communications programme.

For example, IKEA, the Swedish international ‘takeaway’ furniture distributor, could target

the segment of young home users with a limited budget interested in designer furniture by

off ering a special designer furniture line. Or it could capitalise on the trend that teleworking

and self-employment are increasing and develop a home offi ce furniture line for this targeted

segment.

Finally, the company has to defi ne a unique and relevant position for its products in the

mind of the target group. Positioning can be defi ned as the way a product is perceived by the

target group on important attributes, the ‘place in the mind’ a product occupies relative to its

competitors. Positioning is a core element of marketing strategy and hence of marketing

communications. Indeed, marketing management can be defi ned as fi nding and sustaining a

unique and defendable image or position for a product. Unlike imitating successful com-

petitors, positioning attempts to claim exclusive ‘ownership’ of a benefi t in the mind of the

customer which diff erentiates it from the competition.^2 Th is position is the brand or product

personality, which should always be claimed and supported in the communications strategy.^3

Several examples of successful positioning can be given. Mercedes stands for luxury, Volvo

for safety, Miele (dishwashers, washing machines, etc.) for quality, Levi’s for the original

American jeans and Duracell batteries for power.

Market segmentation

Market segmentation is the process of dividing consumers into homogeneous groups, i.e.

groups that share needs or react in a comparable way to marketing and communications

eff orts. Diff erent variables or criteria can be used to segment a market. Table 4.2 presents a

framework and some examples of variables used to segment consumer markets.^4 Objective

segmentation variables are variables that can be measured objectively and straightforwardly.

Inferred constructs have to be defi ned before people can be classifi ed into groups. For

instance, the construct ‘lifestyle’ has to be operationalised before any one consumer can be

attributed to a lifestyle group.

General factors are segmentation variables that hold in all behavioural circumstances.

A person is always male or female, no matter what buying situation he or she is in. On the

basis of specifi c or behaviour-related variables, consumers can belong to diff erent segments

depending on the product class or buying situation concerned. For instance, a person can be

a loyal buyer or a heavy user of chocolate or a chocolate brand, but an infrequent and brand-

switching consumer of margarine.

Table 4.2 Consumer market segmentation variables

Objective Inferred (psychographic)

General Geographic Social class

Demographic (income, gender, age,

education, profession, life cycle)

Personality

Lifestyle

Specific

(behavioural)

Occasion Benefit

Loyalty status Buyer readiness

User status

Usage rate

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