A non-traditional approach to market segmentation in a quantitative research framework.


Market segmentation is one of the most useful tools in the researcher’s toolbox. It allows us to identify discrete groups of users so that targeted marketing programs can be developed to capitalize on the different needs of each group. Traditional approaches to market segmentation have focused on:

• use behavior within a category (heavy users have different needs than light users)
• user demographics (women have different needs than men)
• user psychographics (overachievers have different needs than survivors)

These traditional approaches all recognize that different users have different needs. They do not acknowledge that consumer experiences differ not only from one user to the next, but within one user from one occasion to the next. Idiographics recognizes the importance of usage, demographic and psychographic variables, but focuses on segmenting usage occasions rather than users.


The information required for Idiographics can be collected in several different types of interviews, but regardless of the methodology used, the interview addresses…

• description of the most recent usage occasion
• importance of various product characteristics to the purchase decision on that occasion
• identification of the brand selected on that occasion
• performance of the brand selected on that occasion
• other questions about consumer’s behaviors and attitudes on that occasion

Idiographics analysis uses standard factor analysis and cluster analysis techniques to isolate unique usage occasions and define usage within those occasions. An Idiographics report focuses first on the differences between occasion segments; then on the differences between user groups (traditional market segmentation approach) and finally on the client’s potential share against each of the occasion groups.

Call us today to learn how Idiographics analysis might help you better understand how to reach the most profitable segments of your markets.