How Psychographics Paint a Clearer Picture Than Demographics

PR professionals seek to create campaigns that connect with target audiences in meaningful ways. But trying to understand consumer motivations based primarily on demographic data — age, gender, race, geography, etc. — hinders those efforts.

Imagine that a brief instructs you to build excitement about new video game accessories among hard-core gamers. It says the target audience is men, 30-49 years old, married, have children, work full time, make good livings and are likelier than the general population to have a doctorate.

This demographic profile appears all wrong, but in fact, it’s the exact makeup of a hard-core gamer segment discovered in a 2020 study by the communications agency Citizen Relations — where I am the director of intelligence and insights — and our research partner, Impact Research.