Understanding Audiences Beyond Segmentation

Traditional segmentation has long been the go-to framework for marketers and designers trying to understand their audiences. But as many know, these models often lack the richness and contextual detail needed to inspire execution.

“The Rosetta Stone for finally connecting marketing with design” (Ford Motor Company).

Instead of asking “Who are the kinds of people we want to speak to?”, Cultural Mindsets asks “What does this cultural space reveal about the groups of people participating in it?” This culture-first approach allows audiences to reveal themselves organically through their cultural participation and influences.

A cultural space can be any concept or topic with different perspectives like parenting, naturalness, sobriety, performance, vision, or luxury hospitality.

Within these spaces, Cultural Mindsets emerge base defining groups of people who share similar attitudes, behaviours, values and influences. The beauty of this approach lies in its inherent inclusivity; by focusing on culture first, we allow our audiences to reveal themselves, rather than making assumptions about who are audiences are.

Why it’s valuable

“Cultural mindsets helped us connect the dots like we have never done before. The level of depth and nuance we got cannot be obtained by traditional consumer understanding alone.” – Ana Placencia from Mars Wrigley

Traditional segmentations often leave a critical gap between strategic understanding and practical application. How do you engage with them? How might you design for them?

Cultural Mindsets bridges this gap by:

• Revealing authentic connection points: Understanding cultural influences enables genuine empathy and connection with audiences
• Move from guessing to knowing: See exactly which narratives, codes, and aesthetics, your audience already connect with .
• Create with confidence: Design products and experiences that address the cultural forces and ideas shaping desire
• Find your next audience before competitors do: Spot the nascent and emerging communities while they’re still invisible to traditional research.
• Authentic participate: Know exactly which influencers, communities, topics, brands, they engage with

How they work

Cultural Mindsets flip traditional segmentation on its head. We start with culture, not demographics.

We map the meanings that shape any category or cultural idea. Our AI-powered platform analyses posts across news, forums, and social – capturing what people engage with, and the stories they tell. When needed, we immerse into lived reality of people and their communities.

Raw signals transform into rich Cultural Mindsets: who they are, what they believe, what moves them, and their affinity ecosystems: the communities, influencers, topics, and brands that matter.

Cultural mindsets help brands understand and create for your audiences – as well anticipate the emerging behaviors and track nascent communities that will define tomorrow’s mainstream.