How to Dive Deep on Your Consumer Segments

As market researchers, we all know the value of a good consumer segmentation. If we are unable to identify and target the right segment of consumers, it’s likely our marketing strategies will be less effective. Why? Mass marketing tactics rarely get the results we need to appeal to consumers on a deeper level and grow brand loyalty.

We prefer to take traditional segmentations a step further. Many approaches provide a surface level understanding of our consumers, but by layering in more detailed behavioral information we can help you dive deep on your consumer segments to effectively activate against them.

Moving Beyond Traditional Segmentations

Traditional segmentations usually identify demographics, attitudes, shopping behaviors, and barriers and triggers. Survey data can easily identify these aspects when it comes to a target audience; however, it’s more difficult for this type of data to be translated to media activation—where the real value of segmentation comes into play.

As a result, our approach combines big data with survey data to build a unified view of your consumers. Specifically, the behavioral data gathered through big data provides detailed insights into your target audience’s media and content consumption, personality, and needs and habits when it comes to a specific category. In this way, we provide foundational and actionable insights to activate your consumer segments. To see how it works, we recently conducted research for a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand where we took a deeper look into their existing segments to learn which audience a product concept would appeal to most.

The Research

This particular CPG brand had developed a new natural lotion product and had already established four unique segments of consumers specific to the personal care product category. Each segment is focused on various things from minimal ingredients to value to their healthy routines to sustainability. When it came to their new product, however, the brand was looking to cater it to one segment in order to personalize their offering and increase brand loyalty.

As a result, they were looking to understand which segment would be the best target audience for their new personal care product. In addition to understanding their target segment for this lotion, they wanted to enhance their understanding of their top two segments for future concept development. More specifically, their objectives were to

• Explore and validate consumer preferences for the new natural lotion product and the barriers and triggers to purchase, assessing if and how they vary by segment or the broader personal care product category
• Understand media consumption of the target audience to learn where they spend their time and how they might be reached
• Identify key personality traits of the target segment to better understand how to effectively design and message products for ultimate resonance and appeal

The Results

Through the use of our GutCheck Constellation® offering, this brand was able to size their segments, while identifying which segment was the most relevant to target with their new product concept. The brand was also able to understand who these consumers are on a deeper level, including when, where, and how to reach them.

For example, the results showed that of their four consumer segments, the Minimalist Mavens and Habitual Homemakers make up the largest percentage of the personal care category and proved the greatest opportunity for a segment enhancement analysis—or a detailed segment profile. When it came to the specific product concept, we recommended this brand focus on Habitual Homemakers as their main target segment, as they directionally outperformed other segments on key success criteria—in addition to being the largest opportunity for the category.

Our research showed Habitual Homemakers are young women with kids in the house. Results also found they are interested in food, cooking, and entertainment and are healthy individuals that frequently diet. More specifically, their personality tends to be agreeable but they need a challenge and excitement. Based on both survey data and big data, we recommended this CPG brand target this segment in the evening on traditional TV, in addition to online and mobile email and social media outlets.

These insights helped the CPG brand refresh their existing knowledge of their top segments through a combination of consumer survey responses with big data insights focused on media consumption, personality components, and other considerations. Ultimately, they were able to use this data to provide guidance as they develop and roll out their new natural lotion product.

To see the segment profiles of both the Minimalist Mavens and Habitual Homemakers, in addition to our insights and recommended actions for targeting Habitual Homemakers with this brand’s new natural lotion product, download the full report below.