Creating a Psychographic Profile

Use activities, interests, and opinions (AIO) measures to create a psychographic profile for a product of your choice.

Introduction

While the process consumers go through to determine what products to buy is fascinating, the ways in which consumers actually use the products they have purchased is equally as interesting. Some products are associated with certain types of events or behaviors, but often consumers branch out on their own and use products in new and innovative ways. Consumers typically use dryer sheets to soften and add scent to clothing in a dryer, but some customers also use dryer sheets to deodorize their shoes. Companies that pay attention to such behaviors can expand the uses for their products and thereby increase the sales of their products. In fact, one brand of fabric softener now promotes the use of dryer sheets in shoes by placing a picture of that use on the side of the package.

Each consumer is distinct because of the unique composition of traits. However, groups of consumers can be identified based on the individual traits that they share. By studying a consumer’s age, gender, ethnicity, and income, marketers are better able to predict behavior.

Yet, specific pieces of demographic information alone cannot be calculated or analyzed in the same way as financial sales figures. Behavioral predictions that are based on demographics are more likely to provide insight into what direction a company should take its products rather than providing a specific answer.

For example, the age of a consumer might be seen as a determiner of whether or not he or she will purchase a motorcycle. You might predict that younger people would be more likely than older ones to buy a motorcycle. Harley-Davidson, however, knows that age is not the only key determinant. The median age for the purchaser of Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles has been rising over the past five years and is now approximately 47 years! However, the typical Harley owner does not just fit in that age category; the typical Harley owner also fits a certain income profile. The median income of a typical Harley customer is at least $80,000 per year. So, for Harley-Davidson, the age of the consumer and the income together help paint a clearer picture of a typical customer.

Reference

Harley-Davidson. (2008). Investor relations. http://investor.harley-davidson.com/demographics.cfm?bmLocale=en_US

Psychographics is an area of market research concerned with measures of consumer activities, interests, and opinions (AIO). Utilize AIO measures to create a psychographic profile for a product of your choice.

Complete the following:

• Select a product that is readily available and describe what it is and how it is used by consumers.
• Using the concept of AIO measures (determining how well a particular consumer fits AIO statements), create a psychographic profile for a typical consumer of the chosen product. Note that the profile you outline may be one of many different profiles that are appropriate for the product.
• Identify at least two probable items within each of the areas (activity, interest, and opinion) for the profile that you create. As an example, an activity might be “I frequently listen to country music”; an interest might be “I am interested in the latest consumer electronics”; and an opinion might be “International travel is educational for my children.”

Use proper APA style and formatting. The content of your assessment should determine its length.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 2: Analyze consumer behavior.
  • Describe a product for which to create a psychographic profile.
• Competency 3: Assess the managerial application of customer behavior concepts.
  • Create a psychographic profile of a customer who uses the product using AIO measures.
  • Identify probable items aligned with AIO categories that describe the consumer’s behavior.