Chapter 2

The process of dividing the large and diverse mass market into subsets of consumers who share common needs, characteristics, or behaviors, then targeting one or more of those segments with a distinct marketing mix.

The segments toward which a firm's marketing efforts are directed.

The process of communicating with a target market through the use of marketing mix variables-a specific product, price, distribution channel, and promotional appeal-in such a way as to help consumers differentiate a product from competitors and understand how a particular product best satisfies their needs.

The extent to which tastes and preferences differ among consumers.

When a company focuses exclusively on large average segments, where the majority of customer preferences lie, and neglect smaller, less typical segments.

A trade-off that recognizes that, as market segmentation increases, sales increase because a firm's offerings align more closely to consumers' preferences.

Occurs when products offered by the same firm are so similar that they compete among themselves, thus creating a case of over-segmentation.

Customers' vital population statistics; includes age, gender, income, education, occupation, social class, marital status, household size, family life cycle, and culture or ethnicity.

Strategy where marketers split the market based on physical location of potential customers.

Combines geography and demographic segmentation bases; sometimes called zip-code marketing, this segmentation strategy relies on the common tendency for people who are similar along demographic dimensions to live in close proximity.

The measurement of lifestyle, often combined with measures of attitudes, beliefs, and personalities.

Groups consumers based on their preference for a particular product attribute or benefit, usage occasion, user status, rate of product usage, and loyalty status.

Relies on a single attribute or benefit that differentiates the brand from competitors' offerings.

Sometimes called prestige pricing, is pricing the brand at the high end of the product category's price range.

Attempts to change the way consumers perceived a brand, either a firm's own brand or a competitor's.