Professors on the Go
Chapter 9
Identifying Market Segments and Targets
Key Chapter Concepts:
Bases for Segmenting Consumer Markets Bases for Segmenting Business Markets
Psychographic Segmentation Behavioral Segmentation
Market Targeting Full Market Coverage
Multiple Segment Segmentation Supersegment
Single–Segment Concentration Niche
Long Tail Individual Marketing
Assignments:
The population of Americans over 50 years of age will swell to 115 million in the next 25 years. In
small groups, have the students detail the demographic information on this group of Americans (ages,
buying power, perception of themselves, etc.) and suggest some key marketing opportunities mined
from this information. For example, if seniors often make buying decisions based on lifestyle and not
age, as the vignette mentions, does this information present marketing opportunities for such
industries as travel, bio–medical industries, at-home exercise equipment, and automobiles? If so, who
is going to be affected and to what extent? Student answers should contain detailed demographic
information about this target market and should draw a connection between what the information says
and what is the potential for marketers.
Figure 9.3 outlines the major VALS® segmentation (www.sric-bi.com). Students are asked to
characterize either themselves, family members, or others and place them in one of these groups. How
closely does the person the student selected, “fit” the profile? If so, can the marketer rely on these
characterizations in mapping out marketing plans? Are there major differences? If major differences
exist, what impact does this have on marketers’ developing marketing plans?