Are you thoughtful or aspirational? Audi or BMW? More cod psychology from a market research company purports to find that the car we drive is an indicator of what kind of person we are.
Self-styled 'lifestyle data company' Wegener DM reckons that Audis are more than twice as likely to be purchased by “thoughtful” consumers than BMWs, and BMWs are almost twice as popular with “aspirational” consumers.
“Thoughtful” consumers are characterised as being innovative and experimental by nature, particularly enjoy programmes like BBC News, Have I Got News For You, Frasier and Tomorrow’s World, and read The Guardian, Independent or Telegraph, and avoid The Express and Daily Star, reckons the company.
“Aspirational” consumers, on the other hand, are driven by the need for esteem from others and seek to satisfy this need by gaining the approval of their peer group. As a result it is important for this group to be seen to be successful, and to do that they feel the need to earn and spend money on acquiring possessions.
They particularly enjoy watching programmes such as Trish, Sex and The City and Changing Rooms, and read the Daily Star, Sun or Express, and dislike the Telegraph and Guardian.
Company boss Suzanne Soper said, “REALmotivations is a first for the marketing industry, which is increasingly questioning the validity of segmenting consumers on the basis of demographics."
The press release goes on in similar vein, but you just know the upshot of the whole exercise will be more junk mail and phone calls from double glazing salesmen. Or is that being too cynical?