Publics, Audiences and Market Segments: Segmentation Principles for Campaigns James Grunig

Thomas J. Gardner                            Monday, September 12, 2011

Public Information Campaigns

LSC 515

Thought Piece

Publics, Audiences and Market Segments: Segmentation Principles for Campaigns

James Grunig

The public’s knowledge, reaction and response to issues is dependent upon several barriers that may influence their behavior. Grunig first defines how commercial marketing is different but similar to public information campaigns. I like how he describes market segmentation is defined by the consumer and not by product differentiation. 

People are divided into segments to easily identify their behavior, values, and demographics. A group can be segmented by their different response to issues. Communication can help people understand the issues and produce a collective behavior to satisfy their individual concerns. This is done by directly asking questions of the participants in order to correctly define their attitudes and behavior.

As Grunig states, there are many variables that control a person’s interpretation of issues. But he is certain that once he understands the thinking process of an individual, it is easier to understand the behavior of the general public.

A common theme induces conversation where individuals can passively accept new information that may create positive behavioral changes. While some people only want information that reinforces their beliefs, they are moved by external stimuli that may help them recognize the problem.

            Some people are constrained from communicating about problems because they lack the information necessary to have a comprehensive discussion. But a constant supply of information will give them the confidence to become involved. Once the consequences of not reacting are defined, a collective force will evolve to address the issues.  Different kinds of people will have different levels of involvement.

Selecting Target Markets

Understanding the lifestyle behaviors and personality traits of your clients will help you understand how to affect behavior. These variables will help you establish communicate techniques to meet the segment you are targeting.  Using cluster systems like VALS and PRIZM to help target an audience identifies common characteristics. This helps to segment the variables that will help create a message to influence behavior change.

Psychographic segmentation will further divide the groups into social class, lifestyle and personality characteristics. From this you can determine the stages of behavior changes for a specific population.  Diffusion behavior may make it harder to adopt changes. 

I believe that once a group believes in its campaign would affect social change that would influence politicians and business leaders. But there behavior must also be evaluated for behavior change.