This document discusses classifying and understanding target audiences for media products. It describes how to analyze audiences based on demographics like age, income, and family life cycle stage. Understanding the target audience is important for tailoring content and maximizing its impact. Producers can appeal to audiences by considering genre conventions and iconography that certain groups expect and associate with. Researching audience interests through surveys and focus groups helps media companies determine if a new product matches what the target audience wants.

1. Audience & Media Products
The Music Industry

2. Target Audience
• What does it mean?
• A particular group of people, identified as
the intended recipient of a media product.

3. Classifying an Audience
• Demographic
• age
• gender
• sexual orientation
• family size
• family life cycle (see below)
• occupation (usually of the Chief Income Earner or CIE)
• income (with special interest in disposable income)
• education (highest level reached)
• religion
• nationality
• socio-economic status
•
• Psychographic - Attitudes, beliefs, interests
• Geographic - where is the audience from, nationality, city, borough etc.

4. Classifying an Audience

5. Classifying an Audience – Class & Income

6. Classifying an Audience

7. Family Life Cycle Stages
• dependent – child living at home; may have returned after university
• bachelor – no longer living at home; few financial burdens; fashion opinion leaders; oriented
toward recreation; buy basic kitchen equipment, furniture, cars, holidays, new technologies
• pre-family – young couples, no children; better off now than they will be soon; buy more
durable goods than other segments; buy cars, fridges, furniture, holidays
• full-nesters – couples with children; can be subdivided by the age of children
• under 6 – highest rate of home purchasing; limited disposable income; like new products and advertised
products; buy washing machines, dryers, baby food, nappies, children’s medication; toys; childcare
• 6-12 – more often both partners work; less influenced by advertising; buy larger sized packages & multi-unit
deals; buy foods, cleaning products, toys for older children
• teenage, dependent – improving financial position; children may work too; hard to influence with
advertising; high rate of purchase of durables; buy higher quality furniture and cars, non-essential items
/ luxuries
• empty-nesters – couples whose children have left home; can be sub-divided
• CIE still working – highest rate of home ownership; most financial security; interested in travel,
recreation, self-education; give more to charity; less interest in new products; buy holidays, luxuries,
home improvements
• CIE retired – drastic cut in income; buy medical appliances, products to aid sleep, health, digestion
• the grey market – a broad term covering the over 50s
• solitary survivor – same medical and product needs as other retired groups, but further
reduced income

8. Discussion
• Why is it important to consider the target
audience when making a media product?
• How does it benefit the production company?

9. Appealing to you Audience
• How can you appeal to a particular audience?

10. Appealing to you Audience
• Who is the audience for this artist?
• List 8 things that tell you this.

11. Appealing to you Audience
• Why is this important?
• Tailor content to maximise impact (niche
market).
• The commercial consideration influences
the content. (Film franchises)

12. Match the Audience to the Product
1. 2. 3. 4.
A. B. C. D.
Give reasons for your decisions

13. Match the Audience to the Product
1. 2. 3. 4.
A. B. C. D.
Give reasons for your decisions

14. Appealing to you Audience - Genre
• Why is genre useful when targeting an
audience?
• Conventions
• What you expect to see
• Iconography – Genre indicators
• For example a sheriffs badge = Western
film

15. Appealing to you Audience -
Genre
•What
conventions or
elements of
iconography are
present here
and how will
this appeal to
an audience?

16. Audience – Industry Perspective
• You work in a music company and you have been
sent an idea for a new artist. How are you going to
find out if its what the audience want?
• Survey
• Online Poll
• Focus Group
• Questionnaire
• Exit Poll
• Analysis of admissions