Welcome to Media Audiences: Targeting!
Ever noticed how your social media feed seems to know exactly what you’re interested in? Or why certain TV shows always have ads for the latest video games, while others have ads for car insurance? That isn't a coincidence—it’s targeting!
In this chapter, we are going to explore how media companies find their audience and "hook" them. Don't worry if it seems like a lot of information at first; we’ll break it down into simple, bite-sized pieces. By the end of these notes, you’ll understand exactly how the media tries to get your attention (and your money!).
1. The Big "Why": Why do Media Companies Target Us?
Before we look at how they do it, we need to understand why. Most media products (like magazines, TV shows, and websites) are commercial. This means their main goal is to make a profit.
The Golden Rule: For many media companies, the real "product" isn't the show or the magazine—it’s you. They "sell" your attention to advertisers. If a company can prove that exactly 2 million teenagers watch their show, they can charge a lot of money to a brand like Nike to show an ad during the break.
Key Takeaway: Media producers must create a specific audience that they can then "sell" to advertisers.
2. Making Assumptions: Who Are You?
When a media organisation starts a project, they have to make assumptions about who will like it. They can't talk to every single person in the world, so they build a profile of their "ideal" viewer or reader.
They use three main ways to categorise (group) you:
1. Demographic: This is the "outer" you. It includes things that are easy to measure, like your age, gender, ethnicity, and income (how much money you have).
Example: A magazine like "Vogue" targets a demographic of high-income women interested in luxury.
2. Geographic: This is where you live. Media might be targeted at people in a specific town, country, or even people who live in "city vs. countryside" environments.
Example: A local newspaper targets people living in a specific postcode.
3. Psychographic: This is the "inner" you. It’s about your personality, values, interests, and lifestyle.
Example: Two people might both be 15-year-old boys (same demographic), but one loves heavy metal and the other loves football (different psychographics).
Quick Review Box:
Remember the GDP of audiences:
Geographic (Where you are)
Demographic (Who you are)
Psychographic (How you think)
3. Using Genre to Find the Bullseye
One of the easiest ways for a company to target you is through genre conventions. Genres act like a "label" on a tin of food. If you see a movie poster with a dark forest, a creepy doll, and a title written in "blood," you immediately know it’s a Horror movie.
Media producers use these "rules" of genre to signal to a specific audience: "Hey! If you like this type of stuff, this product is for you!"
Analogy: Imagine walking into a massive supermarket. If you want milk, you look for the "Dairy" sign. Genres are the "signs" in the media supermarket that lead the right audience to the right product.
4. Marketing Techniques: The Hook, the Line, and the Sinker
Once a company knows who they want to target, they use marketing to reach them. Here are the specific techniques you need to know for your AQA exam:
A. Trailers, Tasters, and Teasers
These are "samples" of the product designed to build excitement.
Teasers: Very short clips released months in advance. They don't tell you the plot; they just create a "buzz."
Trailers: Longer clips that show the best bits of a movie or game to convince you to buy it.
Tasters: Think of these like a "free chapter" of a book or a "demo" of a video game.
B. Viral Marketing
This is when a company creates something so funny, weird, or exciting that users share it with their friends. It spreads like a "virus" across social media. It's great for companies because it’s often cheap and feels more "authentic" than a normal ad.
C. Guerilla Marketing
This is "surprise" marketing in the real world. It’s often low-budget but high-impact. It involves doing something unconventional in public spaces to get people talking.
Example: Placing "blood-stained" footprints on a pavement leading to a cinema to promote a new thriller movie.
Did you know? Guerilla marketing is called that because it's like "guerilla warfare"—it uses small, clever tactics instead of a big, expensive "army" of traditional billboards.
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't say: "The media targets everyone."
Instead say: Media products are aimed at specific audiences. Even "mass market" products like the News have a target (e.g., "The Sun" targets a different demographic than "The Guardian").
Don't forget: In your exam, if you are asked about targeting, always try to mention marketing (like trailers or viral ads) as the way companies actually reach that audience.
Summary: The Targeting Checklist
To understand how a product targets an audience, ask yourself these four questions:
1. Who is the ideal person for this (Demographics/Psychographics)?
2. What clues in the genre tell the audience what it is?
3. How is the product being advertised (Trailers, Viral, Guerilla)?
4. Why is this specific audience valuable to advertisers?
Great job! You've just covered the core essentials of Targeting. Keep these notes handy, and you'll be ready to tackle any question on media audiences!