Some Practical Considerations in Market Segmentation

Author(s): Shirley Young, Leland Ott and Barbara Feigin

Source: Journal of Marketing Research , Aug., 1978, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Aug., 1978), pp. 405-
412
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of American Marketing Association

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3150589

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 SHIRLEY YOUNG, LELAND OTT, and BARBARA FEIGIN*

Despite the widespread availability of segmentation techniques and much

applied experience, many commercial users appear to be disenchanted with
segmentation studies. The authors suggest that one cause is the failure of
the marketing researcher to consider the competitive environment sufficiently
in designing segmentation studies. They examine the problem in detail, setting
forth some instances in which a segmentation approach is not useful and
situations in which conventional approaches are not successful through examples
from actual case studies.

Some Practical Considerations in Market

Segmentation

Over the past 10 to 15 years, segmentation has come WHEN TO SEGMENT

of age and most major marketers have conducted
several market segmentation studies. Unfortunately,
the results of these studies often have been dis-
appointing because the segments derived from the
study have not been actionable from a marketing
standpoint. A common reason for this lack of applica- set of guidelines can cover all situations, some of
bility is preoccupation with the techniques and method the specific instances in which segmentation is not
of segmentation such as whether to use generic bene-
fits, problems, lifestyles, psychographics, or prefer-
ences and the type of factor or cluster analysis to
be performed. In too many instances, marketing re-
searchers have failed to analyze the marketing envi-
ronment and competitive structure before applying
their favorite methodological approach.
In many situations a segmented approach is not
even useful as the market should be analyzed in its
entirety. In some cases the researcher must modify
conventional approaches or develop unique ones that
address the pertinent marketing issues. The authors
illustrate a few examples of unique approaches based
on practical experience in applying segmentation tech-
niques to marketing problems.
*Shirley Young is Executive Vice President and Director of
Research Services and Marketing, Leland Ott is Vice President
and Technical Director, and Barbara Feigin is Senior Vice President
and Manager of Research Services and Marketing, Grey Advertising,
Inc.
405
In certain instances a segmented marketing st
is not appropriate. At the outset of a study, the
researcher must determine whether a segmented mar-
keting approach is a relevant one for the particular
brand or product category being studied. Though no
useful follow.
1. The market is so small that marketing to a portion
of it is not profitable. For some product categories,
the incidence and/or frequency of usage are so low
that the market can successfully sustain only one
or two brands. Because a brand in such a category
must appeal to all segments, decisions on product
positioning and marketing strategy must be based
on an analysis of the total market.
2. Heavy users make up such a large proportion of
the sales volume that they are the only relevant target.
If volume is skewed so markedly that only a very
few consumers account for most of it, marketing
efforts must be directed at this group. Conventional
attitudinal segmentation is meaningless unless the
heavy user group itself is of sufficient size or volume
potential to permit a segmented approach.
3. The brand is the dominant brand in the market.
If an established brand is the dominant one in the
market, it draws its appeal from all segments of
the market. Under this condition, targeting the
product to only one or two segments of the market
would not benefit sales.
Because these guidelines are overlapping, they must

Journal of Marketing Research

Vol. XV (August 1978), 405-12

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406 JOURNAL OF MARKETING RESEARCH, AUGUST 1978

be examined carefully to determine whether a seg- oriented lines are silverware, small appliances, fash-
mented marketing strategy is possible before large ion accessories, apparel, furniture, and automobiles.
sums of money are wasted on research that does not
In addition to the foregoing examples, other market-
address the marketing situation.
ing situations dictate a unique approach. For instance,
in a study for the National Highway Traffic Admin-
WHA T TO SEGMENT
istration to develop an advertising program to convince
persons to act to prevent a drunk person from driving,
After determining that the segmentation of the
respondents had to be segmented on the basis of their
market is the right strategy to pursue, the researcher
willingness to take specific action-e.g., drive a friend
must decide the basis on which to segment. Too often
home, take keys, stay over for the night.
this decision is made by examining several alternative
In the following sections, the authors discuss three
mathematical or statistical approaches in terms of
studies in which different methods of segmentation
which one can best reproduce itself. Though there
were used. The first one is an example of benefit
is much scientific argument for such a procedure,
segmentation which illustrates the complicated deci-
it fails to account for the marketing utility of a
sions necessary to ensure that the segmentation study
segmentation approach. Statistical considerations are
is tailored to the marketing problem. The other two
important only in assessing those alternatives that are
represent instances in which benefit segmentation
relevant from a marketing standpoint.
would not have been appropriate and in which product
In the authors' experience segmentation based on
usage by purpose and styling segmentation approaches
benefits desired is usually the most meaningful type
were required to address the marketing problem. No
to use from a marketing standpoint as it directly
example of pricing segmentation is discussed as this
facilitates product planning, positioning, and advertis-
approach is rather easy to implement with regular
ing communications. Though lifestyle, psychographic,
cross-tabular analysis.
or general attitudinal approaches work well statistical-
ly, they are not always helpful in marketing. CASE I. SEGMENTATION ON GENERIC
However, in several important situations a seg- BENEFITS
mentation analysis based on benefits is not relevant
The Canadian Government Office of Tourism de-
for marketing. Three common situations follow.
cided to conduct a marketing segmentation study of
1. Traditional price lines have developed so that all the U.S. travel market to obtain a comprehensive
marketing activities are based on price levels. For picture of Americans who are potential vacation trav-
certain products such as clothing, cosmetics, auto- elers to Canada.' Because Canada is a large, diverse
mobiles, and appliances, traditional price lines have country with many different aspects, it truly can be
developed to the extent that markets have become many things to many people. Therefore, a segmenta-
segmented into price lines. Because all product
tion approach was deemed desirable to ascertain the
offerings and marketing activities are contingent
upon the price line offered, marketing considerations
different groups of potential vacation travelers to
dictate that the market be segmented at least initially Canada and which aspects of Canadian vacations could
by price lines. For many product categories, the address their needs and desires. Once the segments
size of the market for any price line is too low had been identified and described, they could be
to permit further segmentation. evaluated in terms of the Canadian vacation business
2. The benefits desired are determined by the occasion potential they offered, and those segments deemed
orpurposefor which the product is used. The desires attractive enough to cultivate then could be addressed
of consumers can vary by the type of occasion for through advertising and promotion campaigns portray-
which the product is used. For example, clothes ing the advantages for a Canadian vacation of the
suitable for some occasions would not be suitable
specific type desired by the target segment(s).
for other occasions. For effective marketing, con-
However, because of the complexity of the travel
sumer desires must be segmented by usage occasion
to determine which products would be most suitable
and vacation business, certain conceptual problems
for each occasion. In many complex markets, this and issues had to be resolved in planning and executing
type of segmentation is necessary to derive the the study. Though most segmentation studies will not
underlying competitive framework. Conventional be as complicated as this one, it demonstrates the
segmentation questioning about the product without process the researcher must follow to resolve three
a specific usage occasion would provide meaningless critical issues before designing the questionnaire and
information. fielding the study: (1) who should be interviewed,
3. The style or appearance of the product is the overrid-
ing criterion of success. If fashion appeal is the
major consideration in marketing success, the mar-
keter must segment markets on the basis of styling 'The authors acknowledge Myron Rusk, Marketing Research
preference in order to market a successful line of Manager of the Canadian Travel Office, for granting permission
styles to each segment. Some examples of style- to include this study [13].

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PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MARKET SEGMENTATION 407

(2) the frame of reference for questioning, and (3) last vacation, respondents could be segmented on
alternative methods of segmentation. what they were seeking in a vacation of the last
Who should be interviewed. This critical consider- type taken.
ation must be addressed in all studies. Because the
A pilot study consisting of 200 interviews was
purpose of the travel study was to expand the number
developed to test the meaningfulness of each approach.
of Canadian vacations taken by U.S. travelers, it was
The last approach (desires sought in the last vacation)
insufficient to include only those persons who had
was found to be most meaningful in terms of marketing
been to Canada because they accounted for only 5%
and was the approach used in the major study.
of the U.S. population. Instead, it was necessary to
define relevant prospect groups to obtain new visitors Results
to Canada.
The major study consisted of 1,750 interviews with
Consideration of the profitability of various types
of tourists to Canada dictated a decision to interview
eligible respondents, i.e., those responsible for making
a decision about an extended vacation of at least
only those who had taken a vacation of at least a
three-fourths the distance to Canada during the last
week's duration in the past, and the vacation decision
three years. A national probability sample was used
maker was the specific person to be questioned.
with one callback on the household and one on the
Furthermore, the key analytical decision was dictated
eligible respondent.
by the knowledge that the distance people have trav-
A benefit segmentation was obtained for those
eled on past vacations is a strong indicator of how
desires sought in planning the most recent vacation
far they would be willing to travel on future vacations.
meeting the eligibility criteria. The technique of seg-
Therefore, the sample was designed to cover only
mentation was a Q-factor analysis. This approach
those persons who had traveled the requisite distance
consists of normalizing the profile of the respondents
for a Canadian vacation-definmed in the study as three
across all benefits to obtain groups of homogeneous
quarters of the distance to Canada.
respondents through principal components extraction
Frame of reference for questioning. This factor was
a particularly difficult problem for this study because of eigenvalues and their associated eigenvectors,
which subsequently are rotated by the varimax proce-
most individuals were potential prospects for more
dure [2-4, 8, 9, 12]. To facilitate the analysis and
than one type of vacation. To question about vacations
in general was not relevant as needs and desires would
vary by type of vacation. Also, asking about the ideal
vacation would likely yield fantasized wishes that
would have no relationship to the type of vacation Figure 1
a person would or could take. This problem was MAP OF THE SIX BENEFIT SEGMENTS
overcome by asking the respondent to anchor all
responses in terms of the last vacation taken. In this
way, responses were based on the reality of a specific
vacation experience for which behavioral and attitudi- CAMPING

nal information were obtained.

FACILITIES,
CLEAN AIR

Alternative methods of market segmentation. As in IS NOT TOO

EXPENSIVE t
SEGMENT - OUTDOOR VACATIONERS

lVO
most segmentation studies, this was the most critical
issue. Because the best way to segment or group U.S.
travelers for developing marketing programs was far
from obvious, the following alternative methods were
investigated. SEGMENT \

1. By segmenting consumers on favorability toward FRIENDS AND RELATIVES

BEEN THERE BEFORE, NON-ACTIVE
Canada as a vacation area, U.S. travelers could VISIT FRIENDS. VISITORS \ PLACE YOU'VE

be grouped on the basis of their attitudes toward

RELATIVES .
NEVER BEEN TO

I IL
Canada. This approach could be most appropriate
if Canada were a single entity and if attitudes toward SEGMENT- FAMILY SIGHTSEERS

vacationing in Canada were polarized. However,

these possibilities did not appear to represent reality. \ \ v"0
2. By segmenting on geographic area, or proximity
to selected areas of Canada, respondents would be SEGMENT - FRIENDS AND RELATIVES SEGMENT SEGMEN -FOREIGN
II O ACTIVE CITY VISITORS \ V \ VI 0 VACATIONER
assigned by their U.S. locality. This approach would
\ RESORT VACATIONERS \ HAS FOREIGN
be reasonable as an independent segmentation al- \ x^ ATMOSPHERE

ternative if travelers' vacation behavior and desires

varied dramatically by region in the U.S., but they BIG CITY

do not. ATMOSPHERE/NIGHTCLUBS.
EXCITING PLACE

3. By segmenting consumers on desires sought in their

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408 JOURNAL OF MARKETING RESEARCH, AUGUST 1978

description of the marketing segments, a perceptual Implementation

map derived by the multiple discriminant analysis Unlike a commercial firm, the Canadian Office of
technique is shown in Figure 1 [4, 10, 11] .2 TheTourism had special problems in implementing the
locations of the six segments are shown in circles; results of the study. It had to rely on an extensive
the benefit items shown as vectors indicate those
program to inform the many elements of the travel
desires sought by each group.
industry of the study findings through meetings, sem-
Segment L Friends and relatives-nonactive visitor inars, and publications. As a result of these efforts,
(29%). These vacationers seek familiar surroundings improvements were made in the following areas.
where they can visit friends and relatives. They are
1. Advertising execution. The tonality or style of the
not very inclined to participate in any activity.
advertising was made more compatible with the
Segment II. Friends and relatives-active city visitor
personality traits and lifestyles of the target groups.
(12%). These vacationers also seek familiar surround-
Creatively, the advertising message stressed the
ings where they can visit friends and relatives, but
specific benefits sought by each segment, reinforced
they are more inclined to participate in activities-
especially sightseeing, shopping, and cultural and other the positive images of Canada that each group
entertainment. already had, and corrected any undesirable impres-
sions they may have held.
Segment III. Family sightseers (6%). These vaca-
2. Media considerations. The study facilitated the se-
tioners are looking for a new vacation place which
lection of vehicles compatible with the life style,
would be a treat for the children and an enriching
demographic features, and personality of target
experience.
groups. The study was not designed to measure
Segment IV. Outdoor vacationer (19%). These vaca-
individual media habits, but the results allowed a
tioners seek clean air, rest and quiet, and beautiful
closer look at the media available and comparison
scenery. Many are campers and availability of recrea-
of editorial environment of U.S. consumer maga-
tion facilities is important. Children are also an impor-
tant factor.
zines with the unique audience profiles and desires
for each segment. Television commercials were
Segment V. Resort vacationer (19%). These vaca-
changed in mood, tempo, and emphasis to attract
tioners are most interested in water sports (e.g., swim-
travelers in the most promising segment.
ming) and good weather. They prefer a popular place
3. Merchandising and promotional efforts. Promotional
with a big city atmosphere.
brochures and specific types of vacation "tours"
Segment VI. Foreign vacationer (26%). These vaca-
or packages were developed along the lines suggested
tioners look for vacations in a place they have never
by the findings.
been before with a foreign atmosphere and beautiful
4. Provincial tourist offices. The results were passed
scenery. Money is not of major concern but good
on to the provinces so they could adopt a segmented
accommodation and service are. They want an exciting,
promotional effort, and to those areas that could
enriching experience.
deliver the benefits sought by one or more of the
Because of their relativly low vacation expenditures, target groups.
segments I and II offered less attractive business
In addition to providing marketing guidance, the
potential than was offered by the other segments.
study findings were useful in the planning of new
Moreover, Canadian vacations could not provide an
hotels, accomodations, and tourist facilities by the
opportunity to visit with friends and relatives.
Canadian government and private groups.
The other segments had vacation needs and desires
that could be delivered by various areas of Canada CASE II. PRODUCT USA GE PURPOSE
through different types of vacations. For each of these SEGMENTA TION
segments, data from the questionnaire were used to
For some product categories, the occasion or
determine a profile in terms of behavior, psychograph-
purpose of usage dictates the product or brand used.
ics, travel incentives, and image of a Canadian vaca-
For example, in certain food and beverage categories
tion.
such as main meal items, snacks, and desserts the
benefits desired may differ by the purpose or occasion
for which the product is used. Most persons drink
2The discriminant analysis was performed by a stepwise computer various types of beverages, some of which are hot
program to select those benefit items that can best predict group or cold. The person's selection is determined by the
membership [5]. After the items had been selected, their relationship time of day, the weather, suitability with meals, and
to the Q groups was shown in a two-dimensional space. The
the person's mood. Usage of disposable paper products
procedure was [10, 11]: (1) the eigenvalues and their associated
canonical coefficients were computed through the principal compo- such as facial tissue, napkins, and towels, varies
nents method for those variables that were selected as the best according to whether the product is to serve functional
discriminators, (2) each individual then was scored on his first needs, such as wiping up spills and cleaning, or
two canonical dimensions and the group means were computed, aesthetic needs, such as looking attractive or decora-
(3) the canonical scores were correlated with the original items
which were plotted as vectors in two-dimensional space to show
tive. An approach of segmenting on desires in an
the relationship of the benefit items to each group. "ideal" product not anchored to an occasion context

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PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MARKET SEGMENTATION 409

Figure 2 or segments labeled A, B, and C on two dimensions.3

MAP OF SYMPTOMS (S) * AND PRODUCTS (P) A On this space the products used to treat the symptoms
are plotted so that the competitive structure is definmed.
GROUP A

In this case, there are three distinct competitive groups

that must be analyzed separately.
For those product segments offering sufficient po-
tential sales volume, attitudinal and behavioral mea-
sures were used to identify needs, dissatisfactions,
and problems for each segment to determine (1) the
degree of dissatisfaction with the existing products
in each segment to assess the need for a new or
repositioned product and (2) the specific product
GROUP C qualities or attributes required to overcome the prob-
lems consumers are having with existing products.
As a result of the foregoing analysis, the following
actions were taken.

1. For existing products, marketing and advertising

strategies stressed the benefits in treating specific
symptoms. In one instance, recommending use of
both an analgesic and a throat remedy was indicated
as sore throats usually were accompanied by fever,
aches, and pains. This approach would result in
more complete treatment than would be possible
with the single throat remedy. This approach further
associated the remedy with the most commonly used
cold product and symptoms group.
To implement the new strategy, a change in the
product was required. New advertising executions,
point of sales material, and sales promotional mate-
rial were needed. Alternative advertising executions
were developed and tested to determine the ability
to attract attention and collectively communicate
the new strategy. The campaign was introduced and
would be clearly inappropriate for the marketing of has been running for more than four years with
these products. positive sales success.
In the drug area, usage of products and brands is 2. Examination of one of the competitive groupings
dictated by ailments or symptoms of ailments. An showed a high level of product dissatisfaction as
existing products that were efficacious were incon-
unusual and successful product usage purpose seg- venient to use. However, the easy-to-use products
mentation has been achieved for over-the-counter
were not efficacious. This finding indicated a poten-
medicines used in the treatment of various cold symp- tial for introducing an efficacious product in a
toms or ailments. In the cold remedy market, numerous convenient form if one could be developed. The
products compete with each other for relieving certainimplementation of the results required the develop-
specific symptoms such as runny nose, postnasal drip, ment of an entirely new product not on the market.
fever, aches and pains, sore throat, coughing, etc. Several steps were required. First, research and
Because many of the products offered such as cold
tablets, capsules, sprays, cough syrups, analgesics,
and throat lozenges address one or more of these
symptoms, the cold remedy market must be segmented 3The technique used to place symptoms and products in joint
space, was factor analysis of the products and factor scores of
by those symptoms that occur jointly and those reme- the individual symptoms [4, 7]. For all respondents in the study,
dies used to treat each group of symptoms. each symptom was treated as an observation and the products
By listing common symptom clusters and products were treated as variables. For this illustration the input matrix
used to treat them in a joint perceptual space, a for the factor analysis consisted of 11 rows (symptoms) and 13
columns (products).
researcher can define the appropriate competitive As not all persons suffered from all of the symptoms, the incidence
framework. A specific illustration of this type of of suffering for each symptom was adjusted to 100% to eliminate
application is for 13 products and 11 symptoms. The this bias from the analysis. The products then were factor analyzed
data were obtained by having each respondent indicate by principal components and the first two factors rotated by the
the specific remedies used for each symptom suffered varimax procedure [4, 9]. Factor scores were computed for each
symptom. The rotated factors loading for the products and the
the last time he or she had a cold. In Figure 2, the factor scores for the symptoms were plotted to determine those
symptoms suffered are mapped in three major groups groups of symptoms and products that form competitive clusters.

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410 JOURNAL OF MARKETING RESEARCH, AUGUST 1978

development of alternative products were carried er similar to each other. The number of piles allowed
out to overcome the dissatisfactions obtained from for sorting usually is left up to the consumer within
the research. Second, alternative concepts/products some minimum or maximum range. The data are
were tested to determine whether these dissatis- analyzed by determining the frequency with which
factions had been overcome. Third, advertising each pair of items is sorted into the same pile. This
execution, point of display material, and dealer matrix of pairwise similarities then can be processed
merchandising programs were developed and tested. with a multidimensional scaling program such as
Finally, the entire marketing program was tested TORSCA to map clusters of styles into homogeneous
for one year. segments [6, 14].
As a result of these activities, the new product was Though this technique is particularly useful for
successfully introduced nationally. In the study, con- developing a broad overview of the overall styling
ventional benefits segments also were developed and structure as perceived by respondents, it does not
reported. However, they were not particularly helpful address the critical issue of individual styling prefer-
in the development of better positioning and products ences. For example, the respondent's preference
because of their inability to define the competitive structure may consist of selecting from different
environment for this product. styling groups rather than selecting among those
items within a specific styling cluster. Such selection
CA SE III. STYLING SEGMENTA TION
is particularly common for products for which there
For products in which the style, looks, appearance, is multiple purchasing.
or image is the overriding criterion of marketing 2. Rating in terms of preference or likelihood of buying.
This method of styling segmentation is more direct
success, benefit segmentation is not appropriate as
as it addresses the respondent's purchasing prefer-
it can indicate only that styling is important and gives
ence rather than his or her overall perception of
little direction as to what styles are actually preferred. a competitive structure.4 Although the preference
Some examples of categories in which styling problems ratings can be analyzed by means of R and Q factor
are critical are silverware, small appliances, fashion analysis, the Q mode is the one required to determine
accessories, apparel, automobiles, and furniture for the items that a seller should offer to insure that
which the marketer must decide how many and what all major preference segments of the market are
styles to offer the consumer in his line. covered adequately in a line offering. This analysis
The problem of line formulation can be approached is done in the same way as conventional Q seg-
in two ways. mentation except that style ratings are used instead
of benefit ratings.
1. Pile sorting in terms of similarity. By this approach, When the R mode factor analysis is undertaken,
respondents are asked to sort pictures, samples, or one obtains clusters of style items on preference
actual products into piles of those items they consid- dimensions. This approach is useful only in a prelim-
inary or pilot stage of research when the number
of items must be reduced to a more manageable
Table 1 proportion for subsequent rating by consumers.
AN EXAMPLE OF STYLING SEGMENTATION Even if an R analysis is performed, the Q segmenta-
tion and analysis should be based on the individual
items and not the clusters obtained from the R
Segment
analysis.
A B C Table I is a simplified illustration taken from a
Style number 60%? 30%" 10%" larger study of a Q factor analysis for a line of
(% indicating extremely likely items being considered by a marketer. The data were
to buy) obtained by asking each respondent to examine the
items and rate them according to likelihood of buying
3b 33 12 13 on a 6-point scale. The Q analysis identified three
4b 22 2 10
distinct segments of sufficient size to be relevant
1 16 13 15
9 13 5 8
for marketing purposes. To determine the styles
lOb 14 25 12 required in the line to cover adequately each of
2b 16 30 4 the basic segments, the percentage who indicated
8 4 16 5 they were "extremely likely to buy" each style was
7b 13 15 42 tabulated for each of the segments.
5 9 12 18 As indicated in Table 1, each segment can be
6 15 2 9 covered adequately by offering only five of the 10
Total percentage "likely t
for each segmentb 98 84 81
4It is also recognized that rank order preference data can be
aSegment size. obtained and mapped through the authors' techniques. It is experi-
'The total percentage "likelihood to ence buy" that for
the scaler
eachratings are more reliable
segment is indicators of purchase
obtained by summing the five styles (3,4,10,2, intent as ranking
anddoes7) not
thatdirectly measure buying intent, e.g.,
would
be offered in the line. It can exceed 100% as more than one style a person may not like any of the styles well enough to buy them
could be rated as "extremely likely to buy." or he may want to buy several of them.

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PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MARKET SEGMENTATION 411

items: for segment A, styles 3 and 4; for segment
B, styles I and 2; for segment C, style 7.
To determine the total buying likelihood, one can
sum each of the five styles for each of the segments.
In this illustration, as the total buying likelihood
is 98% for segment A, 84% for segment B, and
81 % for segment C, the entire market is well covered.
From this point, impact on coverage can be evaluated
by adding and dropping items in the line. For
example, if style number I were added as a sixth
item, there would be only a slight increase in buying
likelihood for all three segments.
Implementation
The implementation of the results of styling seg-
mentation depends on the nature of the industry and the
competitive position of the firm. In this case, the
firm was the dominant one and had to compete in
all three styling segments. However, a firm's competi-
tion might be chosen to permit competition in only
one or two of the styling segments.
The following steps were taken in implementing the
findings from this study. instances in which conventional segmentation is not
1. The product line, both in terms of the number of applicable. Much more emphasis needs to be placed
items to offer and the amounts of each to be on classifying competitive environments and those
manufactured, was obtained from the research. segmentation approaches that are most relevant. This
2. Point of purchase displays were rearranged to have process would be facilitated greatly by wider dissemi-
maximum impact and to stress those styles indicated nation of the practical experiences gained from seg-
by the research.
3. Through an analysis of demographic and psycho-
graphic data of the respondents in each styling
segment, guidance was provided for developing the
appropriate tonality of the advertising and deciding
which items to feature.
In a few instances it was possible to differentiate
styling groups by media selection. For example, a style
preferred by young swingers could be advertised in
magazines appropriate to that group, and styles pre-
ferred by a group of traditional consumers could be
advertised in other appropriate media.
The implementation of the styling segmentation study
enabled the manufacturer to reduce his offerings and
increase his position in his market. The manufacturer
subsequently has undertaken several additional styling
segmentation studies to develop product lines as this
type of research has become an integral part of his
product development and marketing planning proce-
dures.
CONCLUSIONS
No single approach can be used to segment all
markets as the specific competitive structure and
environment determine the appropriate approach.
Thus, the marketing researcher must analyze the
market carefully to insure that only approaches rele-
vant from a marketing standpoint are considered.
In many situations, markets should not be segmented
at all as appeal to all segments is required for marketing
success, for example, in the case of (1) product
categories with low sales volume, (2) products for
which sales are skewed to a small group of heavy
users, and (3) brands dominating a market.
When attitudinal segmentation is the appropriate
technique, the successful implementation of a study
requires the solution of such issues as (1) whom to
interview, (2) the framework of questioning, and (3)
the alternative methods of segmentation.
However, many situations requiring segmentation
cannot be addressed through conventional approaches.
For example:
1. For products for which the usage situation dictates
preference, segmentation can be done best by simul-
taneously mapping usage situations by products used
to develop the appropriate competitive framework.
2. For products for which styling is the major factor
influencing marketing success, segmentation of styl-
ing preferences through Q factor analysis provides
the guidance necessary for determining the different
sets of prospects in the market with different sets
of styling preferences, and the line of items required
to meet their needs.
These examples represent only a few of the many
mentation studies.
REFERENCES
1. Assael, Henry. "Perceptual Mapping to Reposit
Brands," Journal of Advertising Research, 11 (Feb
1971), 39-42.
2. Cattell, R. B. "The Data Box," in R. B. Cattell
Handbook of Multivariate Experimental Psycho
Chicago: Rand McNally Company, 1966.
3. . "The Meaning and Strategic Use of Factor
Analysis," in R. B. Cattell, ed., Handbook of Experi-
mental Psychology. Chicago: Rand McNally Company,
1966.
4. Cooley, W. C. and P. R. Lohnes. Multivariate Proce-
dures in the Behavioral Sciences. New York: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc., 1971.
5. Dixon, W. J. Biomedical Computer Programs. Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1970.
6. Green, Paul and Frank Carmone. Multidimensional
Scaling and Related Techniques in Marketing Analysis.
Boston: Allyn and Bacon Inc., 1970.
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Analysis in Test Market Selection," Management
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Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975.
9. Harman, Harry H. Modern Factor Analysis. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1967.
10. Johnson, Richard. "Market Segmentation: A Strategic
Management Tool," Journal of Marketing Research, 8
(February 1971), 13-8.
11. . "Multiple Discriminant Analysis," unpublished

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All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
412 JOURNAL OF MARKETING RESEARCH, AUGUST 1978

paper, University of Chicago Workshop on Multivariate
Methods in Marketing, 1970.
12. . "Q Analysis of Large Samples," Journal of
Marketing Research, 7 (February 1970), 104-5.
13. Rusk, Myron. Understanding the U.S. Vacationer:
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Canada. Ottawa, Ontario: Marketing Research Office,
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14. Young, Forrest. "TORSCA, an IBM Program for Non-
metric Multidimensional Scaling," Journal of Marketing
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15. Young, Shirley. "Pitfalls Down the Primrose Path of
Attitude Segmentation," presented to the Fifth Annual
Advertising Congress of the American Marketing Asso-
ciation, February 13-18, 1973, Madrid, Spain.
16. . "The Why of Travel: Psychographic Research
in Action," presented to the Travel Research Associa-
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