Audience Classifications

Last week we realised the content of The Big Issue is (by estimate) 60% advertising.

This Week we looked at forms of Audience Classifications.

The NRS audience classification:

A - Upper Middle class
B - Middle Class
C1 - Lower Middle Class
C2 - Skilled Working Class
D - Working Class
E - Under Class

The Family Nest:

Singles
Newly Weds
Full nest 1 (youngest child under 6)
Full nest 2 (youngest child over 6)
Full nest 3 (Older Married couple with dependant children)
Empty nest 1 (Older Married couple still working)
Empty nest 2 (Older married couple, retired)
Working Survivor
retired survivor

Some say these classifications are out-dated.

Psychographics:
This was developed during the digital convergence where more individual factors could be focused on, including:
Personality
Values
Attitudes
Interests
Lifestyle

This is more specific toward the audience and has become prevalent since 'mass media' (newspapers/tv/radio) has began to be replaced by the Internet. an example of psychographics could be Facebook using specific information you have posted and a relevant advertisement appearing in your sidebar.

Applying this to magazines we have studied.

The Big Issue - tendency to be aimed at a younger, but educated audience.
Typically people in the 'c' categorise and singles/full nest 3

Radio Times - More likely to apply to Full nest+ and ABC1.

Magazines are more likely to classify using the older methods as they do not have an interactive relationship with the audience, like the internet does.