This document provides an introduction to understanding audience for media texts. It defines demographics as quantifiable characteristics used to categorize human population groups. The document lists nine common demographic categories and discusses how age, social class, and occupation can be demographically categorized. It also introduces Young & Rubicam's psychographic "4 C's" model that segments audiences based on their motivations and attitudes. The document suggests analyzing newspaper front covers to identify their targeted demographics and psychographics and how media language positions audiences.

1. Odd One Out?

2. Audience
Lesson 1: Introduction to Audience

3. How could you describe these
3 groups of people?
What common characteristics
do they share?

4. What common characteristics do they share?
Group A

5. What common characteristics do they share?
Group B

6. What common characteristics do they share?
Group C

7. Learning Questions
• What is an audience? How can I categorise
them?
• What are demographics?
• How do newspaper front covers target
particular audiences?

8. Demography is the study of the human population through
categorizing groups by quantifiable characteristics.
There are 9 categories in demographics – what could they be?

9. DEMOGRAPHICS
Demography is the study of the human
population through categorizing groups by
quantifiable characteristics.
RACE
CLASS
GENDER
AGE
GENERATION
SEXUALITY
DISABILITY
RELIGION
JOB

10. AGE
• Age Ranges
– 15 to 18
– 18 to 25
– 26 to 34
– 35 to 44
– 45 to 54
– 55 to 64
– 65 and Over

11. Class based on Profession
(or the profession of your parents)
A B C1 C2 D E
Upper-
Middle Class
Middle Class
Lower-Middle
Class
Skilled-
Working
Class
Working
Class
Subsistence
Professionals
Or
Administrative
High
Managerial
Professionals
Or
Administrative
Intermediate
Managerial
Professionals
Or
Administrative
Supervisory
Clerical
Junior
Managerial
Skilled
Manual
Workers
Semi-Skilled
& Unskilled
Manual
Workers
Pensioners
Casual
Workers
State-
supported

12. Young & Rubicam’s 4 C’s
Aspirers
Explorers
Reformers
Strugglers
Mainstreamers
Succeeders
Resigned
Click here for
PDF with in-
depth info on
the 4 C’s

13. • The advertising agency Young and Rubicam
invented a successful psychographic profile
known as their 4C’s Marketing Model
www.4cs.yr.com The 4 Cs stand for Cross
Cultural Consumer Characterisation. They put
the audience into groups with labels that
suggest their position in society.
Young & Rubicam’s 4 C’s

14. Aspirers
SEEKS STATUS.
Materialistic,
acquisitive, orientated
to image and
appearance, persona
and fashion. Attractive
packaging more
important than
contents. Typically
younger people, clerical
and sales jobs

15. Explorers
SEEK DISCOVERY. Energy,
individualism and
experience. Values
difference and adventure.
Brand choice highlights
satisfaction, and instant
effect. The first to try new
brands. Younger
demographic – students.

16. Reformers
SEEKS ENLIGHTENMENT.
Freedom of restrictions and
personal growth. Social
awareness and independent
judgement. Anti-
materialistic but aware of
good taste. Has attended
higher education and selects
products for quality.

17. Strugglers
SEEKS ESCAPE. Alienated and
disorganised. Few resources
beyond physical skills. Brand
choice involves impact and
sensation. Buys alcohol, junk
food, lottery tickets. Typically D
and E demographic.

18. Mainstreamers
SEEKS SECURTY. Tend to
be domestic, conformists,
conventional,
sentimental – favour
value for money family
brands. Nearly always
the largest group.

19. Succeeders
SEEK CONTROL.
Strong goals,
confidence, work
ethic and
organisation.
Supports stability.
Brand choice based
on self-reward and
quality. Typically
higher management
or professionals.

20. Resigned
SEEKS SURVIVAL. Rigid
and authoritarian
values. Interested in
the past and tradition.
Brand choice stresses
safety, familiarity and
economy. Typically
older people.

21. • Who is the target audience
for this front cover?
• Name three different
demographics it targets.
Provide evidence for each.
• How has the media targeted
them using media language?
• Psychographics?

22. • Find a newspaper cover online (Sun or Daily Mirror) and write down
who the target audience is.
• Name three different demographics it targets. Provide evidence for
each.
• How has the media targeted them using media language?
• Psychographics?
https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2017/07/17/Gdn23June17.pdf

23. Stuart Hall
Media Studies: Key Theory
Media Audiences

24. Stuart Hall
• Meaning in texts is encoded through media language.
• The ways in which texts are decoded often reflect the
encoded meaning although this cannot be guaranteed.
• These ‘preferred’ readings are likely to be dominant due to
the positioning of the audience through media language.
• Other possible readings can be described as negotiated or
oppositional, reflecting resistance to the encoded meaning.

25. HOMEWORK
• Buy a copy of the Sun or Daily Mirror.
• Read through it and make notes on at least
two articles/images on how the audience
(reader) is positioned to feel a certain way.