Psychographics

							Subject Area: Mass Media studies Topic: Psychographics in advertising
 Teacher:

Randy Herndon  Class: Advanced TV & Film  Grade level: Seniors  Created: March 2003

Psychographics
How advertisers target audiences using the

Values and Lifestyles
program

VALS

VALS Hierarchy
Integrateds Societally Conscious Experientials Emulators I-Am-Me

Achievers

Belongers
Sustainers
Survivors

Belongers
38% of U.S. population  Conformists, satisfied with mainstream values, reluctant to change brands  Not very adventuresome  Fit Middle America stereotype  Tend to be churchgoers & TV watchers


Achievers
20% of the population  Prosperous  Pride themselves on making their own decisions  A lot of advertising directed to them  Typically not heavy TV watchers


Societally Conscious
11% of the population  Aware of social issues  Tend to be politically active  Upscale & inner-directed  Tend to prefer reading to watching TV


Emulators
10% of the population  Aspire to a better life, but aren’t sure how to achieve it  Go for the trappings of prosperity  Status-seekers who are prone to suggestion on what makes “the good life”


Experientials
5% of the population  Venturesome, risk takers  Willing to try new things in their attempts to experience life fully  A promising upscale audience for many advertisers


I-Am-Me people
3% of the population  Work hard to set themselves apart  Susceptible to ad pitches that offer ways to differentiate themselves  Rebellious youth, angry & maladjusted, fit this category


Survivors
Small, downscale category  Includes pensioners who worry about making ends meet  Not a big target of advertisers


Sustainers
Another small, downscale category  Living paycheck to paycheck  Indulge in an occasional extravagance, but have slight hope for improving their lot in life  Not a big target of advertisers


Integrateds

About 2% of the population  Creative and prosperous  Willing to try different products and ways of doing things and they have the wherewithal to do it


Let’s review…

VALS
HIERACHY

VALS Hierarchy

Survivors:
poverty, old age, education
Survivors

low

VALS Hierarchy

Need-drivens:
limited financially; major issues are survival, safety, and security

Sustainers
Survivors

VALS Hierarchy

Belongers:
Belongers conservative, conventional, conforming

Survivors

VALS Hierarchy
Societally Conscious

Inner-directeds:

oriented to personal growth, less Experiential concerned with external things I-Am-Me

Survivors

VALS Hierarchy
Outer-directeds:
Achievers are success-oriented, hard-working and materialistic Emulators assume some responsibility for getting ahead
Survivors

Achievers

Emulators

VALS Hierarchy
Integrateds:
have put it all together See many sides of an issue Capable of leadership or a secondary role if appropriate Integrated

Survivors