Would Pepsi be able to do what it desires, with Thumbs Up ?

Pepsi and Coke have again a new game to play, this time initiated by Pepsi though. Already the "Black Cola" is having maximum variants from both the companies, be it thumbs up, coke, diet coke from Coca Cola or Pepsi, Diet Pepsi from Pepsi. 

Pepsi is now ready to take on thumbs up, with launching Pepsi Max in India, a Cola variant already present globally. Though a low calorie diet, it would be positioned almost like thumps up, "A macho drink- with that extra fizz." 

As a consumer, what I feel is, with already with many different SKUs and variants present, majority of consumers' may not find variant or SKU of their first choice mostly. Its really head over heals, especially for a small or mid sized retailer, first to stock and then to place all variants of 'Fizz Drinks' with other so many sorts of other potables, in the fridge. 

Also, I am of the opinion that, with monsoon set to come, this is likely, not the right time for a new variant to make a big bang. I hope this effort of Pepsi, doesn't end up like its rival's failure of pissy tasting Marida-Apple Flavor which is almost absent from the market now. 




The article below about the LAUNCH is from Economic Times, Dated June 23, 2010

"PepsiCo To Launch Low-Calorie Cola Within A Month To Take On Market Leader Thums Up"


PEPSICO will throw a fresh challenge at Coca-Cola within a month or so by launching its second cola, Pepsi Max, which will be pitted against market leader Thums Up as a macho drink.
A low-calorie, no-sugar drink positioned as a macho adult brand, Pepsi Max is expected to hit shop shelves in the next four-five weeks, at least four people familiar with the development told ET.
Though a low-calorie drink, Max has consciously distanced itself from occupying a ‘diet’ positioning and instead has been promoted as a macho drink targeted mainly at males — a platform Thums Up has successfully occupied over the years to lead the Rs 8,000-crore fizzy drinks market by a significant margin.
A PepsiCo India spokesman neither confirmed nor denied the development, only stating that the company “would not comment on market speculation”. People close to the development, however, said PepsiCo wants to pit Max directly against rival Thums Up, originally created by Ramesh Chauhan over three decades back and later acquired by Coca-Cola India. “Besides attacking Thums Up, Pepsi Max could also crack open the lowcalorie colas market – till now a small category, and more associated with women,” said a business associate of PepsiCo, requesting anonymity. Despite diet versions of colas existing for more than a decade, the demand for it remains insignificant and occupies less than 5% of the total aerated drinks market. “The diet cola category is yet to be cracked open in India, mainly because diets come with a taste challenge – they taste different so are not very well received by Indian consumers,” the person said. “Max could fill that gap since it does not contain ingredients of a diet cola and yet is a low-calorie drink,” he added.
Pepsi Max, sold in more than 40 countries, will be available in bottles and PET cans and it will be competitively priced, the sources said.
While PepsiCo may want its new cola to take on Thums Up, Coca-Cola may try to upset its plans by bringing in Pepsi Max’s global rival Coke Zero, a sugar-free cola. Coca-Cola is testing out the potential of Coke Zero in the domestic market, a person close to the world’s largest beverages firm said. Indirect imports of Coke Zero are already available in stores.
India is a key market for cola companies and has been clocking quarterly growth rates in excess of 20%. The country, in fact, has come to the rescue of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, which are facing stagnant sales in their home market, the US. Till now, all three cola brands available in the country are promoted differently. Thums Up is advertised as a brand associated with dare devilry while second-ranked Pepsi is promoted as a ‘youth’ brand. Coca-Cola tries to occupy the ‘family’ platform.
In an attempt to shake the stranglehold of Thums Up early last year, PepsiCo had added more fizz to its cola brand in Andhra Pradesh (AP) — a traditional bastion of Thums Up which has a dominant 80%-plus share among colas in the state

Cola War ’09: Pepsi adds fizz to take on Thums Up

To break the market leader status of Coke's Thums Up...Pepsi is adopting a new taste... Looks like they are test marketing it in AP as of now... but if they feel its works well they may extend it to PAN India.. But just imagine.. you will get a new taste of Thums Up in AP and different taste in rest of the country isn't that a little funny. Time will tell now where does this leads Pepsi too in the longs run..For us, we may never find the sweet syrup of Pepsi after some time... Good for me...i dint liked that a sweet taste of it...

Article in ET as on March 2003

IMITATION doesn’t seem to be a form of flattery for the $15.4-billion global cola brand Pepsi, as it looks to match the macho appeal of marketleader Thums Up by taking a fizzier avatar.
The attraction of the enormous Indian market has forced quite a few iconic brands to tweak their global strategies, McDonald’s being a prominent example. In an acknowledgement of India’s growing consumer power, PepsiCo India has tweaked the taste of its flagship drink in Andhra Pradesh to match the strong taste of Thums Up. The state is among the top three soft drink markets in the country.
A PepsiCo spokesman said the base formulation of the drink hasn’t been changed while increasing the amount of carbon dioxide to make it fizzier. “Our research has shown that consumers in AP are evolving, and like fizzier taste. We constantly evolve our products to suit consumer preferences,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman declined to give specifics of the tweaked formulation and the percentage of carbonation and sugar content that had been altered. PepsiCo is not planning to launch the fizzier drink in more markets anytime soon, he said.
Not everyone thinks this is a great idea. “I don’t think changing the carbonation is going to help PepsiCo. In fact, the company may run the risk of alienating its existing customers,” said Ramesh Chauhan, who created Thums Up over 30 years ago.
Industry experts share Mr Chauhan’s scepticism. “A cola brand’s character is its ingredients—carbonation, sugar and the concentrate. Ideally, Pepsi should have introduced a different variant or brand to counter competition,” said a cola industry veteran, requesting anonymity.
This is the latest in a series of attempts by PepsiCo India, which is under pressure from its New York-based parent, to break Thums Up’s leadership position in India’s Rs 7,500-crore soft drink market. TARGET ANDHRA
AP buyers fond of Thums Up’s strong taste, which goes well with local spicy food
Base formulation of Pepsi hasn’t been changed, only CO2 content has gone up Fizzier Pepsi only in AP for now
THUMS Up, owned by Coca-Cola Company that also owns the world’s largest-selling cola Coke, has close to 16.4% share in the country’s aerated drinks market, compared with Pepsi’s share of around 13%, according to AC Nielsen data.
The fizzier Pepsi has already been launched in AP, a traditional stronghold of Thums Up, which has a dominant 80%-plus share.
Industry observers see this as yet another attempt by PepsiCo to break Thums Up’s hold in the AP market. A few years ago, PepsiCo had acquired its franchisee bottler CK Jaipuria’s bottling operations in Hyderabad to sharpen focus on sales and distribution in the region. The rest of the bottling operations in AP, however, remain with the Jaipuria family.
PepsiCo recently signed on local actor Ram Charan Teja to endorse its mainstay cola brand in AP to improve its local connect in the state. The company said it plans to roll out an aggressive marketing campaign in the region, which would feature Ram Charan and Deepika Padukone, as part of its ‘Youngistan’ communication. Thums Up is endorsed by Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu.
Consumers in AP are fond of Thums Up’s strong carbonation taste since it goes well with the local spicy cuisine. Coca-Cola’s strong sales and distribution network in the state also contribute to the drink’s popularity.
PepsiCo, which trails Coca-Cola in terms of overall market share in India, is watching the development closely. It expects the fizzier drink to deliver growth in India, a key emerging market for the company, said an industry analyst who did not wish to be named.
The soft drink category in India has been witnessing double-digit growth rates over the past few quarters.

7up Nimbooz Pani a new height of marketing, lets see where it leads the brand in future...

PepsiCo has drawn up an intensive consumer activation campaign to market Nimbooz. The 360 degree marketing communication plan will build awareness through multi-city launches and road shows, 3D activation, leveraging Out-of-Home (OOH) media, radio, press and outdoors. The on-ground initiatives will be supported by a TV commercial that reflects Nimbooz’s ‘Ekdum Asli Indian’ proposition. The film has been created by BBDO India.

Pepsico has been swift and well-integrated to make Nimbooz available across India though its strong distributor muscle. But its yet to be seen how far 7up Nimbooz succeed, even after much hype developing around it.

The new has no fuss no artificial flavor and contains natural lemon juice and is placed as a healthy option which tastes like fresh homemade "Nimbu Pani" which has been generic to Indians.

Last year rival Coke also launched a new variant of Mirinda, "Mirinda Apple" which was a big failure and now is almost withdrawn from market. Thus, time will only tell if Nimooz does some thing big and justifies the adspends and able to have a positive impact on the bottom line of Pepsico.

Nimbooz has no direct competitor and nearest competitor is Limca, even being a fuzz drink. Hence, Coke is out with a new TVC for Limca since some time, as its flank strategy. How far its able to protect itself and what the next move would be is yet to be seen.

But i would like to focus on the new benchmark of 360 Degree Advertising which 7up Nimbooz has achieved.


The full front page advertorial of 7up's nembooz in HT gave a revamp to the benefits of Lemom and then tried to seek more positive mind share of targeted readers.

From ATL to BTL.. the spends on promotion mix is changing..

The conventional or the mass media advertising methods have been aggressively used in the past, but the current industry is undergoing a major shift. Now most of the companies are keen to spend more on BTL activities with a special focus on Experiential Marketing and on ground activities. This trend is common among almost all the products and services which are used by mass markets.

Definitely these changes arise with changing times, lifestyles and shifting patters in which consumers consume media. With increase in metro population, outward culture and more time spent outside home, mass media is loosing its luster when compared with mediums which directly communicate with the consumers.

For example the global sportswear giant Nike Inc, creating brand recall in India is not about having well-packaged, 30-second commercials or million-dollar brand ambassador. Instead, the company is going all out for on-the ground activities with nearly 70% of its marketing budget being deployed towards below-the-line advertising and experiential marketing.

The $18.6-billion company has associated itself with sports like athletics, football, cricket and tennis in India and the response, according to the company, has been tremendous. “When we first started our ‘run’ clubs, we had 35 people. Within six weeks, the number grew to 200,” Nike India marketing director Sanjay Gangopadhyay said. As part of its association with the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA), Nike India sponsors 11 tournaments in various sports.

The company is also placing its bet on the growing popularity of football among sports enthusiasts. It has entered into a seven-year deal with the All India Football Federation to be the official kit sponsor to supply apparel, footwear and equipment to football teams. Its football website is the most-visited site for the sport in India.

The case is same for many other companies too...Now its to be seen that where does this change leads the new era of advertising.

“reverse mentoring” the Indian Version @ Airtel

From ET "Business of Brands" dated 9th march 09.....

WHEN Amit Singh joined Bharti Airtel a year ago, he didn’t even dream he would make it to the corner room of the billiondollar telco in such a short span.
Well, the 28-year-old is not yet the CEO, but he mostly spends his time in the president’s cabin. These days, the avid Formula One fan mentors Bharti Airtel president Sanjay Kapoor on all things trendy such as gizmos, fashion, sports, even eating out.
Singh is one among the new stars in an ambitious mentoring campaign that the company is putting together for its top executives, taking a leaf out of legendary CEO Jack Welch’s “reverse mentoring” strategy.
At India’s largest mobile telephony operator, the thinking goes like this: If Bharti has to tap into India’s 560 million youth by graduating from plain-vanilla voice and SMS to lifestyle services, firsthand insights are invaluable. “We understand that revenues will come from music, entertainment and banking on the mobile. Most of our leadership team is in their 40s and early 50s and have all been assigned young mentors to help them understand what future customers want,” says Kapoor.
And learning together is a fun way to do business, says Saurabh Sharma, another youngster, and mentor to Airtel’s executive director (ED) for Eastern & Western Operations K Srinivas. “I am learning to play the guitar and now Srinivas too is looking at joining a music school at Gurgaon,” he says. More than the guitar, Sharma has taught his mentor to try out social networking, blogging, online file sharing and downloading music from the internet.
‘Reverse mentoring’ as a concept came into the limelight when Jack Welch, then-chairman of GE, got about 500 of his top managers to work with youngsters and become internet savvy. Bharti’s ED Srinivas is of the view that mentors have a role to play even when the management is internet savvy. “Since the younger generation knows so much more of the internet, the reverse mentoring process has given me the drive and the motivation to keep up with the latest developments in the virtual world,” he explains.
Experts say that while the concept can be introduced across all industries, it works best for sectors where technology plays a vital role, but is not the main focus of the company.
Anjana Nair, a management executive with Bharti, mentors executive director (north) Sayed Safawi and feels the concept can bring different generations closer. “He wanted to know aspirations and feeling of youngsters in Bharti, including me. I also explained why the youth are on Facebook, Orkut and LinkedIn,” says she.
Well, the impact is there on the ground to see. Mr Kapoor, well updated on F1 these days, checks his employees’ perceptions and reactions to various new initiatives of the company on blogs and online forums. “I did not know that there are several blogs and online forums run by Bharti employees. The management as well as Bharti’s marketing team seconds their research with opinions on the blogs and the web,” he says.
Going further, Bharti plans to make this strategy an integral part of its corporate culture where all circle CEOs and functional heads across different states will be assigned local mentors from within the same centres. Slowly, this will be extended to other segments where the company operates, such as retail and financial services.
YOUNG MASTERS
‘Reverse mentoring’ is a strategy invented by legendary GE chairman Jack Welch, who got 500 of his top managers to work with youngsters and become internet savvy
Bharti Airtel has assigned young mentors to most of its leadership team members—in their 40s and 50s—to help them understand what future customers want

SEC Classification in INDIA

(Click on the Image to enlarge)
Sections A & B refer to High-class- constitutes over a quarter of urban populationSec C refers to Middle-class-- constitutes 21% of the urban populationSections D & E refer to Low-class-- constitutes over half the urban population

ACRON model of segmentation in America

ACORN, acronym for A Classification Of Residential Neighborhoods, is the first lifestyle segmentation system using multivariate analysis to accurately predict customer lifestyle and behaviors. Understanding the demographic characteristics, lifestyle, behaviors and buying patterns of your prospects is an invaluable tool to maximize your profits.

ACORN is a neighborhood segmentation analysis which allows you to understand markets and enables profit from them. It consists of a Site Location Analysis, Sales Planning, Database Analysis, Media Planning, Direct Mail, and New Product Lines. An ACORN classification accurately predicts buying trends, media types and content preferences, promotional partnerships, and other essential marketing strategies. It is probably the most respected lifestyle clustering system in English-speaking countries.

The following are the individual classification titles and descriptions:

Group 1: Affluent Families

Consumer Type 1A: Top One Percent

Demographic: “Top One Percent” households are usually older married couples in their peak earning years. Almost half are between the ages of 35 and 64 years; their median age is 43.0 years. Most are empty nesters, although many have older children attending college. This predominantly white segment also has an above-average percentage of Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Consumer Type 1B: Wealthy Seaboard Suburbs

Demographic: These older, married couples have no younger children, but a disproportionate share of their adult children still live at home: they’re empty-nester wannabes. Their median age is 40.6 years. The proportion of householders between 45 and 64 is over 30 percent higher than the national average. This population is predominantly white but has an above-average percentage of Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Consumer Type 1C: Upper Income Empty Nesters

Demographic: They are usually empty nesters: married couples with no children living at home. They also are predominantly white and middle-aged. Almost 50 percent of the householders are between the ages of 45 and 64; their median age is 42.4 years.

Consumer Type 1D: Successful Suburbanites

Demographic: This family market has an average household size of 3.1 persons, 19 percent above the national average. They are between the ages of 35 and 54 years, with school-aged children. Their median age is 37.1 years, slightly higher than the U.S. value of 35.5 years. The population is predominantly white, but Asians and Pacific Islanders comprise a disproportionate share of almost 8 percent.

Consumer Type 1E: Prosperous Baby Boomers

Demographic: The age profile of this market is singular: baby boomers who were born between 1949 and 1964 with young, primarily preschool and grade school age children; over 40 percent greater than the national average. Nearly 20 percent of the population is under 10 years of age as compared with less than 15 percent of the U.S. population. Typical of their generation, these families are very mobile. Over 35 percent of the population have moved in the past 5 years, double the national mobility rates.

Consumer Type 1F: Semirural Lifestyles

Demographic: Married couples aged 35 to 54 years with and without children living at home dominate this market. The median age is 36.8 years as compared to 35.5 years for the U.S. About 35 percent of the households are empty nesters; 40 percent have school-age children living at home. Over 92 percent of this population are white.

Group 2: Upscale Households

Consumer Type 2A: Urban Professional Couples

Demographic: With a median age of 37.8 years, “Urban Professional Couples” are older than the U.S. overall (35.5 years). They have above-average indexes for each adult age group from 25-29 years and older and below-average indexes for the age group 20-24 years and younger. They are predominantly married-couple families, with few or no children, but the mix also includes single-person and shared households, the results of high divorce rates through the 1980's.

Consumer Type 2B: Baby Boomers with Children

Demographic: Approximately two-thirds of the households are married couples, most with children; over 50 percent more than the national average. Their median age is 31.2 years; more than 35 percent of the population is under the age of 20; 34 percent of the householders are between the ages of 25 and 44 years. Typical of the cohort, many are mobile, still moving to find the best jobs or location.

Consumer Type 2C: Thriving Immigrants

Demographic: Although fewer than 30 percent of the population are foreign-born, 40 percent speak a language other than English at home. “Thriving Immigrants” are immigrants and their children. Most households are families, typically married couples with either very young or adult children. The population is diverse, including Asian and Pacific Islander at 4.5 times higher than the national average and Hispanic origin at three times the national average. The age distribution is slightly younger; the median age is 32.9 years.

Consumer Type 2D: Pacific Heights

Demographic: “Pacific Heights” are predominantly Asians and Pacific Islanders but with nearly 14 percent, there is a significant Hispanic minority. Almost 35 percent are foreign-born and half speak a language other than English at home. The segment’s age profile is almost identical to that of the U.S. overall; indexes for all age categories are within 10 percent of their U.S. counterparts. The household distribution parallels the United States - with a slightly higher proportion of adult children living with their parents - 35 percent above the national average.

Consumer Type 2E: Older, Settled Married Couples

Demographic: “Older, Settled Married Couples” are middle-aged married couples who have settled into their neighborhoods and surroundings. Although many households include school age or adult children, their age profile is slightly older, with a median of 37.2 years. The population is predominately white.

Group 3: Up & Coming Singles

Consumer Type 3A: High Rise Renters

Demographic: They are single with a median age of 37.9 years that belies the concentration of younger households. Half are between 20 and 44 years of age, compared with only 37 percent of the U.S. population. Fifty percent of these households are single-person or shared -14 percent. The population includes foreign-born residents, non-Mexican Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander.

Consumer Type 3B: Enterprising Young Singles

Demographic: With a median age of 30.1 years, this population is young and mobile. More than three of every five persons are under the age of 35. Approximately half of the households are single-person or single roommates or shared households compared with less than 30 percent of U.S. households.

Group 4: Retirement Styles

Consumer Type 4A: Retirement Communities

Demographic: They are older, but not exclusively elderly. With a median age of 40 years, they are actually the youngest of Retirement Communities. Householders aged 75 years and older represent over 15 percent of the household distribution, but so do householders aged 35-44 years. Single-person households are 35 percent of the total, followed by 27 percent of married couples without children.

Consumer Type 4B: Active Senior Singles

Demographic: This mature market has a median age of 43 years. Nearly 25 percent are aged 65 or older; many are widowed. Single-person households make up over 40 percent of these households. Although younger families live in these neighborhoods, there are few children. With over 85 percent of the population white, this market ranks below average in diversity.

Consumer Type 4C: Prosperous Older Couples

Demographic: Their median age is 43.2 years, but nearly half are 55 years of age or older. Most are married; few have younger children, although some families still have adult children living at home. With its population that is more than 90 percent white, this market lacks diversity.

Consumer Type 4D: Wealthiest Seniors

Demographic: Their median age of 53.5 summarizes the demographic profile of “Wealthiest Seniors”: over half of them are over 50. Over 30 percent are 65 or older, more than twice the national average for this age group. Half are married couples with no children at home, and approximately one fourth are single-person.

Consumer Type 4E: Rural Resort Dwellers

Demographic: “Rural Resort Dwellers” are usually older. Their median age is 41.7 years but they are concentrated in the 45-plus age groups. More than four of ten are aged 45 years and older. Families are predominantly married couples, many recently retired to the area. Over 95 percent of local residents are almost exclusively white.

Consumer Type 4F: Senior Sun Seekers

Demographic: The oldest in the Retirement Styles summary group, more than half of the “Senior Sun Seekers” are 55 years or older. Their median age of 59.2 years is nearly 24 years older than the U.S. median. Over 45 percent are married couples without children, but there is 32 percent of single-person households in this segment.

Group 5: Young Mobile Adults

Consumer Type 5A: Twenty-somethings

Demographic: The median age of “Twentysomethings” is 30 years, 5.5 years younger than the U.S. median. Over 27 percent of residents are in their 20s that is double that of the U.S. percentage. They are mobile and in transition, completing college or starting their careers. Nearly 60 percent live in single-person or shared households compared to 30 percent for the U.S. overall.

Consumer Type 5B: College Campuses

Demographic: Not surprisingly, almost three-fourths of “College Campuses” are college students. Their median age is 21.7 years compared to the U.S. median of 35.5 years. Over 45 percent live in dormitories; the rest, in nearby neighborhoods that are primarily student housing. Forty percent are under the age of 25; 70 percent are living in single-person or shared households.

Consumer Type 5C: Military Proximity

Demographic: This young, mobile population has a median age of 23.6 years. Over 40 percent have recently moved. Half of these households are young couples, many with preschool children, although there are some single-parent families. These racially-mixed neighborhoods are predominantly black and white with an above- average percentage of Asians or Pacific Islanders.

Group 6: City Dwellers

Consumer Type 6A: East Coast Immigrants

Demographic: “East Coast Immigrants” are the new Americans. Almost 40 percent are foreign-born and most speak a language other than English at home. Their demographic profile is a rich mix of ethnic and racial groups and household types such as Hispanic, Asian, and black. Sixty percent are married-couple or single-parent families; forty percent are single-person or shared households. Their median age is 33.8 years, with above-average percentages of younger householders aged 20-34 years.

Consumer Type 6B: Working Class Families

Demographic: “Working Class Families” are approximately 90 percent black and 75 percent family. Although slightly older than people in the U.S. overall, many households have grade-school age children or teenagers. Single-parent households comprise slightly less than one of five households at 18.5 percent compared to one of eleven U.S. households at 9.3 percent. Most are 35 to 74 years old. Their median age is 36.8 years.

Consumer Type 6C: Newly Formed Households

Demographic: These young, newly formed households are characteristic of this market. While their median age is 33.9 years, many of them are between the ages of 20 and 34 years. The mix of household types includes single parents, single-person and shared households, in addition to below national level, but still sizable percentage of married couple households with and without children. Eighty-five percent of this market is white.

Consumer Type 6D: Southwestern Families

Demographic: These families portray the Hispanic culture characteristic of the Southwest. While about 20 percent is foreign-born, most of these families have lived in the U.S. for generations. Most speak Spanish at home. Demographically, “Southwestern Families” are large; the average family size of 3.7 persons is 20 percent higher than the U.S. average. Their median age of 28.4 years reflects their emphasis on children and family.

Consumer Type 6E: West Coast Immigrants

Demographic: “West Coast Immigrants” are young and family-oriented. Almost six of ten households are families with children, either married couples or single parents. Their median age is 24 years compared to the U.S. median of 35.5 years. The average family size is 3.9 persons versus with 3.1 persons per family for the U.S. Eighty percent of the population is Hispanic and speak Spanish at home. Half of the population is immigrants.

Consumer Type 6F: Low Income, Young & Old

Demographic: The “Low Income, Young & Old” are the very young and the elderly, who are supported by a relatively young working-age population. Almost half of the households are single-parent or single-person. Their median age of 31.8 years represents the gap between those under 35 and over 64 years. These racially diverse neighborhoods are also include whites, blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians.

Group 7: Factory & Farm Communities

Consumer Type 7A: Middle America

Demographic: The demographic profile of these communities is similar to that of the U.S. population; they’re just a little older, more family-oriented, and white. Their median age of 36.8 years is slightly older with more householders aged 45-64 and fewer under 35 years. Seventy percent are married couples, compared to 55 percent for the U.S. The distribution of children is similar; the average size is at the U.S. level, 3.1 persons per family.

Consumer Type 7B: Young Frequent Movers

Demographic: Young families dominate in this market. Children are 30 percent of the population, lowering the median age to 33 years. The population is 85 percent Anglo (non-Hispanic white), but also includes blacks, American Indians, and Hispanics. Characteristic of their youth, this group tends to move frequently.

Consumer Type 7C: Rural Industrial Workers

Demographic: Primarily composed of older families with older children, the “Rural Industrial Workers” population is fairly stable. Born and raised in the same state, they are not even inclined to migrate to a different county. Most are married couples with school-aged or adult children living at home. Their median age is 36.6 years. This neighborhood type is mostly white, but also has a disproportionate share of blacks and American Indians.

Consumer Type 7D: Prairie Farmers

Demographic: “Prairie Farmers” are aging and stable as their children mature and move away. Most households are families, married couples with or without children. Few householders are under the age of 35; almost 40 percent are 45 or older. The younger householders have school-age children, which lowers the median age of the population somewhat to 37.7 years. The population is over 95 percent white.

Consumer Type 7E: Small Town Working Families

Demographic: The age and household distributions for “Small Town Working Families” almost parallel the U.S. profile. More grandparents, aged 75 or older, and more families, especially couples with school-age children live in these neighborhoods. Their median age is 36.1 years compared with the U.S. median of 35.5 years. They are predominantly white and born in the U.S.

Consumer Type 7F: Rustbelt Neighborhoods

Demographic: The population of “Rustbelt Neighborhoods” is stable, but aging. Younger people are leaving these areas while the older residents remain. Their median age of 39.6 years belies the large concentration of senior householders. Nearly 20 percent are 65 years or older compared with approximately 14 percent for the overall U.S. These households are also typical of an older population: married couples, some with adult children still living at home, and single-person households.

Consumer Type 7G: Heartland Communities

Demographic: “Heartland Communities” are older, with the median population age of 41 years versus 35.5 years for the overall U.S. Few younger householders or children are in this market. As the population ages, the dependency ratio of those under 15 years and old at ³65 years, to the working age population of 15-64 years is increasing. Households are still predominantly families, but married couples with no children at home and singles are becoming increasingly common in the “Heartland Communities.”

Group 8: Downtown Residents

Consumer Type 8A: Young Immigrant Families

Demographic: These communities of “Young Immigrant Families” are family-oriented and nearly 78 percent are Hispanic. The population is young with a median age of 30.8. Their families are large, with an average family size of 3.4. Over 45 percent of these households are either single-parent or married-couples with children. Those are the similarities; the differences are ethnic, including Puerto Ricans in New York, Cubans in Florida, and other Hispanics in the Southwest. Most of the population was born in the U.S. and most speak Spanish at home.

Consumer Type 8B: Social Security Dependents

Demographic: The profile of the “Social Security Dependents” market is straightforward: elderly, living alone. Their median age is 52.6 years. Nearly half of the householders are 65 years or older; almost 65 percent live alone. Higher proportions of adult children live in these households, possibly caring for their parents. These neighborhoods also incorporate group quarters, institutional and other quarters.

Consumer Type 8C: Distressed Neighborhoods

Demographic: In “Distressed Neighborhoods,” single-parent households outnumber any other household type. Single-person households are second. The population is very young, with a median age of 23.2 years. Over 50 percent are children under 18 years of age. The average family size of 3.5 persons is relatively large. Most residents are black.

Consumer Type 8D: Hard Times

Demographic: “Hard Times” is a population of extremes; the very young and the elderly. The dependency ratio of young (<15>

Consumer Type 8E: Urban Working Families

Demographic: Almost 40 percent of the “Urban Working Families” population is under the age of 20; their median age is 29.4 years. This is a family market with a high percentage of single-parent households. Also, economic necessity forces a significant number of adult children to live at home. Over 80 percent of the population in these neighborhoods are black.

Group 9: Nonresidential Neighborhoods

Consumer Type 9A: Business Districts

Business districts with a residential population of fewer than 100 and a significant daytime business population are included in this segment.

Consumer Type 9B: Institutional Populations

These neighborhoods are home to institutional group quarters, including prisons, juvenile detention homes, and mental hospitals. The residential population is small, except for the institution's staff and employees.

Consumer Type 9C: Unpopulated Areas

These areas are unpopulated and include parks, cemeteries, golf courses, or undeveloped land.