Affirmation are perhaps the most conscientious of the segments, who make considered, measured choices. What sometimes marks Affirmation out from the other segments is that as adults, they’re likely to have made a conscious decision to embrace more culture. They believe that engagement with culture is going to make their lives better.
Culture is an important and worthwhile activity so, like going to the gym or meeting with friends, going to a museum or going to a play is a commitment to well-being that should be prioritised over a night in front of the telly. They feel that culture is a commendable pastime and are keen that they do, and are seen to do, the right thing.
Affirmation welcome culture as away of enjoying quality time with others, as a means of doing something more worthwhile in their leisure time. Cultural visits are self-improving, build memories and add richness to life. Affirmation do care what others think of them and hope to be recognised as going to interesting things and places. Those with children take their children to cultural experiences if that is what good parents do. They will however be aware of other commitments that may also demand time, so don’t exclusively spend their leisure time in arts and cultural activities.
Affirmation often have underlying social motivations as well as a big dose of self-development. They’re looking for wholesome learning that helps them grow as a person and feel good about themselves. They will be at home with a mainstream musical or well-known play but with encouragement can be convinced to expand their horizons. It doesn’t necessarily need to be intellectually challenging, wacky or provocative but should include context and information so they will really understand it and gain insight or knowledge.
Ultimately, Affirmation look for reinforcement they’re choosing the right thing. To do that they need full and comprehensive details. All marketing says everything’s good so they need plenty of endorsement and supporting evidence. Word of mouth from a friend would be the ultimate.
But TripAdvisor, Mumsnet and the like – press reviews, star ratings – will all assure Affirmation that there’s no risk it’s going to be a dud. Once they have decided, they want to have the best experience: make smart choices about seats, arrive in plenty of time to check their coat, have a drink, know how to get to their seats and so on. The devil is in the details.
Like most of us, Affirmation want to feel confident and dignified. Museum interpretation for example should make them feel smarter, not reveal their ignorance. Signage, cloakroom facilities, clear seat reservations and great customer service should guarantee the trip a success, not make them feel like a fish out of water. Affirmation will return to organisations they trust to deliver, so a little thought about making people feel comfortable goes a long way.
This segment holds untapped market potential. Affirmation are constantly shortlisting what to do, with a rolling list of potential things that would be worthwhile. The reality is, there’s a lot of stuff on the list so they won’t get around to all of it. The challenge is to make this the best choice. When reaching them the first time, risks need to be managed. Affirmation is the segment that does nothing by accident and makes carefully judged decisions.
Marketing needs to present a place as welcoming, something they can identify with, and somewhere they can see themselves going. However, once they are familiar with something, they add it to their repertoire. This counts for arts venues and brands too, so while they may take some reassurance to reach them in the first place, the prize on offer is loyalty.
ESSENCE are core cultural visitors: discerning, confident, independent and arts-essential.
EXPRESSION are people people: committed, generous, creative and community minded.
STIMULATION love big ideas: they’re active, social, experimental thrill seekers.
ENRICHMENT see the present through the past: heritage, tradition, narrative and nostalgia.
PERSPECTIVE are happy in their own bubble: settled, self-sufficient, focused and contented.
RELEASE feel time poor: busy, prioritising, ambitious but seeking escape.
ENTERTAINMENT are looking for fun: leisure opportunities that are mainstream and popular.
We offer training to use Culture Segments in your programming and product development, your services, your brand and your communications. Ultimately, we can build completely bespoke Culture Segment profiles for your organisation. If you want to fully understand your existing audiences and to reach out to new ones, you need Culture Segments.
