ATG-MCI study unveils 'consumer clusters' and their TV viewing habits

Are you a Progressive Payal, a Dashing Danny, a Simple Sita or a Cautious Kumar?

These four cluster groups, in addition to two more, are the backbone of WPP specialist unit ATG-MCI's consumer insight study 3D. Using a sample size of more than 8,000 people in the socio-economic classes of A, B, C and D in the age group of 15-50, the study (round one of which was recently released with round two to be released at the end of the year) aims at "reaching the people who count and not just counting the people who are reached".

As V Balasubramanium, national director, ATG-MCI (Advanced Techniques Group and Media Consumer Insights) explains, "The basic purpose of 3D is to understand the consumer in terms of his or her attitudes and mindsets. At the second level, the study looks into the consumer's relationship with the brand, mapping it with media, at the third level."

The study quite clearly points at six different consumer groups based on their mindsets. The first are the progressive types (called Progressive Payal), who have an independent outlook, are heavily into socialising, are ambitious and westernised. Such individuals prefer new technology and gadgets, and are very fashion conscious. Their market skew, as Balasubramanium indicates, is Bangalore and the big cities of Uttar Pradesh.

The second lot are the techno-savvy types (called Techno Tyagi) who are trendsetters, active information seekers, are net-savvy and trust advertising. Such people are chiefly found in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, while the third lot, described as the Cautious Kumar, is traditional, organised and not for modern gadgets. The market skew of the cautious types is Maharashtra.

The fourth category are the Dashing Dannies who are concentrated in Mumbai, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Such people are impulsive, are spendthrifts, they believe in known brands and have a positive outlook to life.

The traditional housewives or Simple Sitas constitute the fifth cluster of consumers who are proactive, religious and do not believe in looking good. This target audience is found in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, while the last consumer group - the Page 3 Mehtas - are heavily concentrated in Delhi, UP and Kolkata, says Balasubramanium. These people love to splurge, are attention seekers and risk takers and are look and status conscious.

The television viewing patterns of the six consumer groups have been mapped in the following manner. The Progressive Payals are heavy TV viewers exhibiting a strong tendency to surf channels. The Techno Tyagis are light TV viewers, are loyal to documentaries, talk shows and interviews while the Cautious Kumars are moderate TV viewers with cricket, English films and news being their areas of interest.

The Dashing Dannies and Page 3 Mehtas are also light TV viewers. However, the former is skewed towards sports in general (cricket as well as non-cricketing activities) while the latter shows a marked preference for Hindi movies, sports and news. Traditional Indian housewives or Simple Sitas are heavy TV viewers with an appetite for daily soaps.

"The take-outs of the study can be used in trigonometric modeling or could be applied to ATG's suite of models," states Balasubramanium. "This helps planners in setting their media objectives making everything quantifiable. The idea is to bring in some more science into the process of planning and raise the bar per se."

The fieldwork for round one was conducted in January-February and the current study varies from its earlier counterparts (3D was launched in the last quarter of 2001) with the incorporation of the "consumer's purchase decision and linking the role of media with the purchase pathway". "Every study or round has a new insight to offer and apart from looking at the consumer's purchase decision and linking the role of media with the purchase pathway, there is also a greater thrust on Internet as a medium," he adds. © 2003 agencyfaqs!