Geodemographics, 25 Years On

Three of the men who founded and pioneered geodemographics in the UK will be leading a seminar to celebrate its 25th anniversary, hosted by the Market Research Society's Census and Geodemographics Group on 1st July.

The three are Ken Baker, the first market researcher to classify respondents by geodemographics; Richard Webber, originator of the ACORN and MOSAIC classification systems; and Peter Mouncey, Director of Research at the IDM, and one of the first clients to apply the new technique.

Ken Baker introduced geodemographics to the MR community in 1979 in a paper at the MRS Conference, in which he presented the results of Target Group Index survey data cross-tabulated by ACORN. This presentation was to change the face of market research and spawn the birth of the geodemographics industry in the UK.

Nowadays, the use of geodemographics is commonplace amongst nearly all large, consumer-facing organisations and geodemographic codes have been added to almost all mainstream market research surveys, but their benefits are not always understood by researchers.

Among the topics to be covered by the half-day seminar, entitled Classifying People by where they live, are:

• How well do neighbourhood classifications map with attitudinal, lifestyle or lifestage segments?
• How easy is it to append these segmentations to survey results?
• How can the results be applied through DM channels to target individual customers?

According to Barry Leventhal, MRS Census and Geodemographics Group Chair, 'we thought that the 25th anniversary of the founding of geodemographics was a fitting time to host a seminar dedicated to increasing understanding of its uses. The fact that delegates will have the opportunity to pick the brains of the three individuals who were the leading lights behind the creation of the geodemographics industry, and who remain at the forefront of the industry today, is fantastic. It is going to be a very lively and stimulating seminar'.

The seminar will be held at the Royal Statistical Society, London, EC1 between 10am and 1pm on 1 July. More information is available from www.mrs.org.uk/events/1jul04.htm or by emailing Sue Trenhaile ( sue.trenhaile@mrs.org.uk ).

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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