Segmentation of Music Industry

Music industry Segmentaion When attempting to segment a particular consumer base or population by personality or motivation, one must consider what personality traits the consumers posses. Of course there are serveral ways to group together personalities ex (fashionable, innovative, extroverted, etc). I have chosen to use Karen Horney’s theory of three personality groups for segmentation of the music consumer market. Karen Horney states that people can be grouped into three personalities; compliance, aggression and withdrawl.Since music consumers can be an almost entire population, it would be a good idea to segment this population into three broad groups. The first personality group, compliance, is can be defined as people who move toward others. This group has a need for affection and approval and a need to be liked by others. The complaint personality consumer would tend to veer toward popular current music or popular music within a certain genre. This is the consumer who w ould be listening to Justin Timberlake and Lady GaGa when they are at their peak.They would be drawn toward the â€Å"summer hits†, toward the songs that are played at clubs and they dance to with their friends. In terms of music consumers, they might be seen as between the ages of 10-40, and this is a very big market withing the music consumer industry. The second personality group, aggression, are considered those who go ahaist toher. This group has a need for power and for control over others. They have the need to be heard by others and fear of seeming stupid. This personality group would be the ones who view themselves as against the popular music, against very popular groups and singers.Maybe they would chose music with a bit more of an edge, harder rock, rap and hip hop music. Finally, the third personality group is knows as detached, and they move away from others. Consumers in this group have a need for self-sufficiency and independence and do not need to rely on any one. These are the consumers of many independent bands and singers, who see themselves as going against the grain and against society. Once the consumer base has been segmented into personality groups, it is easier to target each of these groups. Many artists and bands can be advertised in such a way that they can appeal to each of these groups.On the retail level, where consumers are in direct contact with the music industry, there are so many opportunities for consumption, ranging from digital/physical music and concert tickets to festival passes, ringtones, merchandise, clothing lines, band donations and nonprofit initiatives. For instance, when targeting the compliant personality consumer, would be easier to advertise towards since they are very conscious and respondent to others tastes. So, when promoting a new album of Adele toward this group, we would be very insistent with her new songs in all settings.Her songs would be played on all major radio stations, promoted in clubs and bars, and also promoted within social networking which has now become an extrememly important word-of-mouth marketing technique. Now, while reaching out to the detached personality consumer, we would use a different marketing approach. Since these consumers are the ones who are geared more toward indepndent music and anything that is specifically not main stream, there needs to be a careful marketing approach done so that they are unaware they are being advertised too. One idea could be promoting smaller, more intimate shows at local record stores.Also, encouraging these fans to support their local record stores instead of retail chains like Wal-Mart and Best Buy. Since music sales have shifted toward digital downloading mediums, they could reach this consuemer base throught there as well. Another possible tactic could be to create album covers that visual appeal to this consumer base, maybe a loan aritist or a band in darker shades or seperated from society somehow, to appeal d irectiy to this personality base. Finally, the third peronality consumer group is that of aggression. A more tactful approach must be taken when advertising to this market segment.