2.4 Comparing Segmentation Systems

2.4a. "My Best Segments"—Explore Nielsen/Claritas PRIZM, P$YCLE, and ConneXions.
 

Unfortunately, you cannot repeat your ZIP code search in "My Best Segments" and choose the "P$YCLE" tab from the three segmentation system choices to gain the actual segments in order unless you are a subscriber. Fortunately, the Segment Details page provides an interactive tool that lets you examine the four segment groups which belong to a "Lifestage Group."

• Determine the Nielsen PRIZM segment that best matches your household.
• Determine the Nielsen PRIZM Premier segment that best matches your household.
• Determine the Nielsen P$YCLE segment that best matches your household.
• Determine the Nielsen ConneXions segment that best matches your household. 

Compare your findings across all four segmentation systems. The names for the like/similar segments won't be the same—they're different segmentation systems—but, if you chose carefully, you should see some consistency across the descriptions.

• What is different in the descriptions?
• Pay close attention to the "psychographic"/"behavioral" descriptions in each of your three segments.

2.4b. Introduce Claritas PRIZM with other market segmentation systems, e.g. MosaicUSA and CACI's ACORN.

Step 1.

Review your PRIZM segment, Lifestage Group, and Social Group.

Step 2.

Access the 2006 MosaicUSA Group and Type Descriptions pdf. Review the MosaicUSA group structure, noting that there is only a single spectrum.

• Using the attributes which describe your PRIZM group(s), see if you can determine which MosaicUSA group compares to one of your PRIZM groups.

Step 3.

Once you've identified a corresponding MosaicUSA group, examine your previously used geography.

Step 4.

Access the MosaicUSA marketing brochure and turn to page 5. Note the graphic for MosaicGlobal in the upper right corner. The two primary demographic dimensions (urban vs. rural and level of affluence) should now be quite familiar.

• Using your MosaicUSA selections and the graphic, identify which of the 10 MosaicGlobal groups your household likely falls within.

Step 5.

Now access CACI's ACORN system which is used in the United Kingdom. Review page 3 of the PDF to get an understanding of the group structure in this system.

• Again, see if you can match your PRIZM group(s) to a specific group in ACORN. Also, see if you can match your PRIZM segment to a specific ACORN segment.