VALS Methodology: How to Use Psychographics in Marketing
What makes psychographic characteristics useful
Age and income data provide only a superficial understanding of a person. Two customers with identical sociodemographic characteristics (for example, "male, 35, average income") may lead different lifestyles, choose different brands, and respond differently to advertising.
Psychographics, based on the analysis of personality traits, values, and attitudes, can help uncover the reasons behind certain decisions. They show that there is a specific lifestyle and system of priorities behind a purchase.
| Segment | Description |
|---|---|
| Innovators | Confident, open to innovations, quickly adapt to changes, and often become opinion leaders. They value quality, variety, and personal style, choosing products that highlight their individuality and competence. |
| Thinkers | Rational individualists who strive for development, stability, and informed decisions. They value knowledge, responsibility, order, and reliability. Thinkers choose brands that align with their principles and demonstrate a practical, balanced approach. |
| Believers | Conservative consumers focused on traditions and established values. Family, religion, stability, and respect for norms are important to them. They choose products that reflect their sense of reliability. |
| Achievers | Focused on success, career, and recognition. They value prestige, status, and a sense of stability. Achievers prefer recognizable brands and practical solutions that confirm their social status and professional achievements. |
| Strivers | Ambitious and sensitive to public opinion. They strive to climb the social ladder by emulating the style of more successful groups. It is important for them to make an impression and follow trends. Strivers often make emotional purchases, choosing flashy status symbols. |
| Experiencers | Young, energetic, and curious, seeking out vibrant emotions and the opportunity to try something new. Experiencers love fashion, entertainment, and technology, and are drawn to creative ideas and unconventional forms of self-expression. They respond well to personalized offers and dynamic content. |
| Makers | Practical, independent, and proactive. Makers value hard work, simplicity, and results, choosing reliable and functional products over prestige or showiness. They prefer to rely on their own experience and common sense. |
| Survivors | They have limited resources and focus on basic needs. Cautious and frugal, survivors strive for security and stability. They tend to choose proven solutions, especially if these are affordable. |
What the original VALS offered
The model is based on two axes, the intersection of which forms the eight segments mentioned above.
Resources
Reflect a person's social and economic capabilities: income level, education, profession, status, availability of free time, and involvement in social activities. These factors indicate how diverse and active a lifestyle a person can maintain.
Primary motivation
Describes what drives the consumer behavior. In the original model, these were:
- Ideals: the desire to follow beliefs, principles, and inner values.
- Achievements: a focus on success, social recognition, career, and well-being.
- Self-expression: a search for novelty, emotions, and opportunities to express oneself through creativity or lifestyle choices.
What was improved in VALS-2
The two axes remained, but their content became deeper and more psychologically accurate.
Resources
Now they reflected the individual's overall potential: material, social, and psychological capabilities. Confidence, intelligence, energy, and readiness for changes are also taken into account in addition to income, education, and status.
Self-orientation
The main innovation of VALS-2. It describes what a person relies on when determining their self-identification and making decisions. Three dimensions are distinguished:
- Principle-oriented: guided by their internal beliefs and value system. For them, doing the "right" thing is important.
- Status-oriented: strive for success, recognition, and social approval. They view purchases as a way to highlight their achievements.
- Action-oriented: value action, experience, emotions, and creativity. They seek ways to express themselves through activity.
In short, the differences between the methodologies are as follows:
| VALS | VALS-2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Sociocultural, describes lifestyle | Psychological, describes individual motivation |
| Goal | Understand what a person does | Understand why they act this way |
| Axes | Resources — income, education, status, time; Primary motivation — ideals, achievements, self-expression | Resources — interpreted more broadly and include psychological resources; Self-orientation — orientation towards principles, status, or action |
| Key focus | External manifestations and roles | Internal motives and individual potential |
Advantages and limitations of the VALS methodology
Advantages
2. More nuanced segmentation of the target audience. Detailed segments cover multiple personality aspects while maintaining a balance between depth of analysis and practical applicability.
3. Brand positioning tool. By understanding the target audience's psychographic type, a brand can tailor communications and positioning to resonate with the consumer's "mental frequency".
4. Compatibility with other data. VALS is used in conjunction with demographic, behavioral, and transactional metrics. The model adds a new, deeper dimension to existing analytics.
5. Resilience to trends. The updated VALS-2 version shifts the focus to more stable personality motivations, making segments overall less susceptible to seasonal fluctuations.
Limitations
2. Risk of complexity. The more criteria used in segmentation (demographic, behavioral, and psychographic), the higher the risk that segments will become too narrow and unsuitable for marketing.
3. High cost and labor intensity. A comprehensive VALS-based study requires a combination of various data collection and analysis methods. This requires time, resources, and the expertise of the analytics team.
4. Complexity of development and interpretation. Formulating questions, creating questionnaires, and analyzing responses require precision and experience. Errors at any stage may lead to blurred or inconsistent segments.
5. Does not directly describe causes. VALS shows the links between motivation and behavior, but does not prove that these motives lead to purchases. It points to probable trends rather than direct cause-and-effect relationships.
How to collect data for psychographic segmentation
Questionnaires and surveys
A classic psychographic tool, questionnaires help understand a person's value system, lifestyle, and attitudes toward money, technology, brands, and other aspects. For example, respondents are asked to rate statements regarding:
- personal views on finances, status, and risks;
- perceptions of success and self-realization;
- shopping and leisure habits;
- interest in innovations or traditions;
- the role of emotions and logic in decision-making.
Focus groups and in-depth interviews
They show:
- what words and phrases are used by representatives of different segments;
- what evokes trust, sympathy, or irritation in them;
- what internal motivations underlie their everyday decisions.
Socio-demographic research
While psychographics in marketing emphasizes internal motivations, demographic parameters remain the foundation of analysis. Age, income, education, occupation, and location help refine segment boundaries and assess purchasing potential. Demographics and psychographics complement each other: the former reveals opportunities while the latter explains motivations.
Digital analytics and CDP systems
Even if a person has not completed the VALS questionnaire, their digital behavior can reveal a lot about their preferences:
- which pages they visit and how much time they spend on the website;
- how they respond to emails, newsletters, and advertising;
- which specific products they choose.
Conclusion
VALS and VALS-2 laid the foundation for the psychographic approach to marketing management. They demonstrated that each buyer is an individual with their own beliefs, dreams, and goals. By understanding what is important for a customer, a company can create a dialogue that feels genuine and meaningful.
