Market segmentation 255
segments, including: The Belonger, the Survi-
vor, the Experimentalist, the Conspicuous Con-
sumer, the Social Resistor, the Self-Explorer and
the Aimless. The Self-Explorer group was the
fastest growing and further reinforces one of
the propositions of this chapter, namely that
some markets have become more orientated to
self-expression and individualism. Note that
the Levi example above also identified the
‘classic independent’ segment. This is a point
taken up later, when data-driven segmentation
is explored. This traditional form of lifestyle
(AIO) segmentation provides useful insight
into what makes people ‘tick’. It is based upon
traditional market research: administering
Likert-scaled statements concerned with activ-
ities, interests and opinions to a sample of
consumers. The data are anonymized and the
resulting profiles are very useful for determin-
ing the style and mood of promotional
messages.
If the drinks company, for example, had
extended its demographic profiling of the
market for its new alcopop product, it might
have presented respondents with a series of
statements concerning drinking and social-
izing. The results might have produced poten-
tial lifestyle segments such as: ‘Boozy Kids’ –
eager to break away from parents, keen to have
the approbation of their peer group, like going
to parties and dance clubs. Another segment
might be the ‘Cardigans and Slippers’ segment
that likes to stay at home, entertain at home and
watch television with a whisky and soda. These
lifestyle profiles would be very useful for the
drinks company in creating the right sort of
message to communicate to these potential
segments.
Segmentation over time
Earlier, it was suggested that marketers often
found more innovative consumers in the gay
market. This concept of innovativeness is a
useful one for segmentation. It suggests that,
over the life of a product, marketing activity
might need to change because different seg-
ments of adopting customers are salient at
different points in time. The characteristics of
each adopter category and the importance of
two step flows of communication via opinion
leaders can be found in more detail elsewhere
(Evans et al., 1996), but the following will
provide a useful indication of how these con-
cepts can provide a framework for targeting
different adopting segments.
Consider a sports shoe manufacturer want-
ing to introduce a new up-market trainer.
Different adopter categories have their own
profiles in terms of demographics, interest in
newness and the sources of information they
tend to use. The sports company might there-
fore target each adopter category as a distinct
market segment. The Innovators could be
targeted via editorial coverage in scientific
magazines such as New Scientist, i.e. not at this
stage in the specialist sports magazines. The
style of message would probably be highly
technical, with cross-section drawings and
weight/drag coefficient tables. Perhaps the
product could be exposed on TV’sTomorrow’s
Worldin a similar way.
For the early adopters, this segment might
be targeted via personal selling to the leaders of
sports and health clubs. Direct mail shots to
these leaders could reinforce the personal sell-
ing, and it is likely that the approach would
again be technical and the personal selling of a
‘two professionals together’ nature. More per-
sonal selling could be targeted to specialist shoe
retailers, and the club leaders and retailers
might be invited to an ‘event’ such as a
conference or seminar arranged on behalf of the
company. To reinforce this even further, editor-
ials could be developed for appearance in the
sporting and health journals. Overall, there
could also be similar treatment for the Sports
Coaches and even Sports Councils. It is possible
that there could be a fashion market, quite
outside the sports market, and if so fashion
editors and journalists could be targeted in
similar ways with fashion shows and personal
presentations and, through these, editorial cov-
erage could be secured in order to influence