History of Geodemographic Segmentation (ft. Richard Webber)

"We're here 50 years later and this same type of thinking is still used throughout marketing."

In this episode, Lyden Foust is joined by Richard Webber, the originator of geodemographic segmentation systems, Mosaic and Acorn. They discuss the evolution of these systems, the importance of understanding both human behavior and computer data, and how these classifications have been applied in market research and social planning. Webber shares insights from his early work in Liverpool, the transition to commercial applications, and the role photography played in the development of these systems.

Chapters: (00:27) Introduction (02:35) What is a geodemographic segmentation system (04:39) Classifying Liverpool neighborhoods (08:30) Appending service data (10:37) Demographics and behavioral data (11:43) Creating England's national classification (13:57) Commercialization of Acorn (18:41) Segment naming and imagery (21:14) The role of photography in classification (24:49) Validating classification systems (28:28) Geodemographics in political campaigns (31:27) Tennis players vs golfers (32:08) Polarization of neighborhoods

Learn more about Richard Webber and Origins at ⁠https://originsinfo.com

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About Spatial.ai:

Spatial.ai’s PersonaLive is an advanced consumer segmentation platform for developing data-driven marketing strategies. PersonaLive categorizes U.S. households into 17 groups and 80 segments using consumer behavior data from transactions, mobile visits, and social media activity, providing marketers with deep insights for effective audience targeting. From mid-sized retailers and agencies to Fortune 500 companies, hundreds of businesses use PersonaLive to drive strategic decisions and enhance marketing performance. 

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