Audience Values & Targeting Our Audience

TARGETING OUR AUDIENCE

Like most thriller movies, the target audience for our thriller opening will cover a very broad age range, from around 18+. Late teenagers, and older, will be our target audience and we will explore more mature and complex themes and issues in order to appeal to them, as we feel the older teenagers will be able to handle complex storylines. Our main character will also be of similar age to our target audience - this will make the audience relate to her and will help to attract our audience to our film.

AUDIENCE VALUES

What are values?

Values: the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

Types of people to be considered when thinking about target audience:

• Mainstreamers - at 40% of the market this is the largest segment of consumers. This group seek security in conformity and tend to buy well established brands such as Heinz Baked Beans or Kellogg's Cornflakes.
• Aspirers/Social Climbers - this group's motivation is status and they tend to buy smart high-tech and high-fashion goods which will help give them a higher status image.
• Succeeders - these are the people who have climbed the ladder and want to keep control of what they have. Car advertisements which emphasise power and control are aimed at this group.
• Reformers - this group want to make the world a better place. They tent to be educated professionals such as teachers, doctors etc. These people but eco-friendly products and healthy foods. Although this is a relatively small group of consumers they have an influential voice with manufacturers.
• Individuals - these people respond to advertising which emphasises quirkiness or individuality. The enigmatic Guinness commercials target these people.

The Simpsons - Audience Classification

As a family, the Simpsons fit into social class D - working class.

Marge Simpson fits into the mainstream category as she is a house wife and would likely seek comfort in well established brands. We can tell this because she is always at home and normally running around cleaning up after Bart and Homer.
Lisa Simpson is a Reformer, Aspirer/Social Climber and also fits into the individuals category. Lisa as a character is very individual, she is interested in a clean environment, she is well educated and is interested in a high status.

In Homer's mind, he is a succeeder and Bart believes himself to be well on the way! Homer would believe that he has made it in life, climbed the ladder and needs to keep control of his success. In reality, Bart and Homer are both very difficult to categorise. They are both very lazy - particularly Homer - and are most likely to respond highly to advertisements which promote laziness by offering products that get things done fast with little required effort.