Segmentation can be criticised as ‘putting people into boxes’. But I'd like to propose a counterintuitive idea: when it's done properly, segmentation actually does the opposite. Rather than focusing on what divides us, it helps us understand what we share. We're often taught that grouping people together is inherently lazy, reductive or even disrespectful. And sometimes it is. We see it all the time when broad labels are used to make sweeping generalisations about "Gen Z", "boomers" or "eco-warriors". In these situations, people are reduced to stereotypes and ‘who they really are’ gets lost. But segmentation doesn't have to work this way.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned while leading Journeys & Decisions , it’s this: people rarely make decisions the way they think they do. It doesn’t matter whether someone is trying to choose what to eat, where to travel, which product to trust for their health or what to buy for their home, people give us beautifully packaged stories about their decisions. But the behaviour underneath? A lot more tangled, emotional and instantly influenced than they realise. And for me, that gap the ‘say-do gap’ is where the real magic happens.
Culture shapes how people think, communicate, shop and make decisions. A product, message, or marketing strategy that works well in one culture may fail, or even offend, in another. Last week, the AQR hosted the Culturama event at Boxclever HQ, with inspiring talks from Jamie Oyebode (Davies + McKerr), Dr. Nick Gadsby (The Answer) and Oliver Sweet (Author / Ipsos) and some thought-provoking discussions around how culture is evolving and what that means for the way we approach research. Here’s a quick round-up of some of the key insights discussed and how they can shape our thinking going forward.
