Lockdown has been a paradox: a huge communal experience, but one that has affected different groups of people very differently. It highlights the benefit of having in place an audience segmentation model that, whilst being based on cultural engagement, is also linked to demographics, geography and the many concrete factors that have made so much difference to people’s lives. Those differences have had particular effects during lockdown, but also relate to things that we know have always made a difference to cultural consumption (things like age, education, health and household composition [e.g. the number and age of children]).
Audience Spectrum really helps us here. It gives us information about how the different Audience Spectrum segments are responding, the significance of demographic factors and what we as cultural providers can do to connect. Crucially, it enables us to predict what different segments will do next - helping you adapt to both maximise sales and do what we, as a sector, can for social justice. We’ve drawn upon the segment profiles the data tables and our extensive experience of working with Audience Spectrum to support cultural organisations.
We’ll be continuing to update Audience Spectrum in the Time of Covid, based on further research, practical experience and other evidence and we’d welcome your thoughts/experiences. For example:
- Have you seen some segments react better to particular offers, or messages?
- Has your research revealed differences in attitudes between segments?
- Has the profile of those taking-up digital offers been different from your usual offer? (you could use our free digital survey to help find out).