Coined by Arnold Mitchell, the term VALS™ is a property of SRI International (Bhasin). This psychometric approach is used to forecast people’s values and attitudes based on their demographics and beliefs (“About VALS™”). According to the framework, eight types of VALS™ are identified: “innovators, thinkers, achievers, experiencers, believers, strivers, makers, and survivors” (“US Framework and VALS™ Types”). To interpret the consumers’ needs, two major concepts are employed: resources and primary motivation (“US Framework and VALS™ Types”). The combination of these two notions allows the target marketing specialists to predict people’s consumer behavior (“US Framework and VALS™ Types”).
According to a survey, my primary VALS™ type is the achiever, and the second kind is the maker (“The US VALS™ Survey”). I agree with such classification as the features of these VALS™ types are quite true about me. The achievers are described as motivated people with high incomes. Such individuals are highly committed to their job and family and put their close people in the first place (“Achievers”). Achievers are defined as industrious, modest, and having respect towards others (“Achievers”). What I cannot agree with is that this group of people is considered to find money “the source of authority” (“Achievers”). I do think that money is important, but I do not use it as a means of influencing people. Thus, the description of achievers is very close to me but it does not fully correspond to my life values. The second VALS™ type about me is the maker. I think that the description of this group is very close to me. The makers are believed to enjoy outdoor activities, have protective instincts concerning their property, are open-minded and sincere (“Makers”). I can say that this description is rather true about me. I love spending time with my family, and we often have picnics with various activities in the fresh air. However, I do not find the division of gender roles very important. I think that any person can be successful in what he or she chooses to do if only he or she is determined and hard-working enough.
I would choose an advert of holiday portrait sessions by Scobey Photography as an example of targeting my VALS™ category (“Holiday Portrait Sessions”). The ad presents the services of the company like the ones satisfying the demands of busy and determined people. Also, it emphasizes family and family values. The company reminds us of how important it is to cherish the time which family members spend together. Furthermore, Scobey Photography promises to make these memories eternal by creating fantastic shots of a family having fun together (“Holiday Portrait Sessions”). Since the achievers and the makes value their close people and time, I believe they would pay attention to this advertisement.
I think that targeting consumers is a great idea. It is rather helpful not only for the advertisers but also for the customers. While business owners use the results of target marketing to increase their sales, they are simultaneously enhancing people’s life quality and saving time. On the subconscious level, we always know what we need. However, it is not always easy to make choices, and the help of targeting is invaluable here. I cannot imagine how much effort it takes for them, but the outcomes are rather impressive. The well-known case of the company who found out about a teenage girl’s pregnancy via targeting (Hill) is an excellent example of how productive this method is. Therefore, even though we may find it creepy that somebody knows too much about our preferences, their knowledge may be a good assistant and has the power to make our lives easier.
Works Cited
“About VALS™.” Strategic Business Insights, n. d., Web.
“Achievers.” Strategic Business Insights, n. d., Web.
Bhasin, Hitesh. “Vals – Values Attitude Lifestyle.” Marketing91, 2016, Web.
Hill, Kashmir. “How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did.” Forbes, 2012, Web.
“Holiday Portrait Sessions.” The Scobeys, Web.
“Makers.” Strategic Business Insights, n. d., Web.
“The US VALS™ Survey.” Strategic Business Insights, n. d., Web.
“US Framework and VALS™ Types.” Strategic Business Insights, n. d., Web.