VALS and Jicnars scales

The VALS and Jicnars scales, are scales (templates) used by institutions in order to segment their audiences and correctly market to different groups of people. Both scales give predictions to institutions on how their audiences are constructed so that they can target them in the most effective method in order to make money off their products. The audiences can be segmented in different ways depending on various social criteria, such as, age, sex, race etc… . 

This method is known as demographic segmentation, which is used in the Jicnars scale. The other method uses psychographic segmentation where audiences are broken into stereotypes and their behaviours, attitude and lifestyle are used to predict what they like, thus helping institutions make money. 

The Jincars scale uses salary, skill and education to determine the category in which audiences are segmented. It is segmented into 7 categories.

•  A - higher management / administration /professional 

•  B - middle management / administration /professional 

•  C1 - supervisory / clerical / junior management 

•  C2 - skilled manual 

•  D - semi and unskilled manual 

•  E - subsistence income / pensioners / widows / casual labour

•  Unemployed 

As the levels increase (E to A) the level of skill, salary and education increase. Institutions’ then market their products depending on the targeted audiences demographic; for example people in group E would be targeted by newspapers such as ‘The Sun’.

Whilst people in group A would be targeted with ‘Forbes Magazine’.

 However, the Jincars scale has been criticised for being outdated and distorted because nowadays people in group C2 tend to make high salaries due to the increased demand for skilled labour, such as construction, plumbing. The scale also does not take into account younger generations into account, who are big consumers especially in media. Although the scale is accurate and works for institutions, it is slightly outdated and excludes younger people, thus reducing the effectiveness of its use. 

The other scale is the VALS, the Values Attitudes and Lifestyle classification system. It is a psychographic profiling system.

It creates a psychological profile of the consumer and their attitudes, beliefs, values and lifestyle choices that are used to predict a consumers consumption. 

 There is a list of different personality types that are used to categorise groups of people so that products can be marketed to them. 

These include (The list of personality types have been taken from a source): 

• ACTUALISERS: Successful, sophisticated, ‘take charge’ people with high self-esteem. They are interested in their own development and expressing themselves. Image is important, not as evidence of status or power but as an expression of their independence and character. They are concerned with social issues. Their possessions and recreation reflect a cultivated taste for the finer things in life. Likely to be established or emerging leaders in business and government. 
  

• FULFILLEDS: Mature, satisfied, reflective people who value order, knowledge and responsibility. Most are well educated and in (or recently retired from) professional occupations. They are well informed about world and national events. They are conservative, practical consumers; they look for durability, functionality and value in the products they buy.
  

• ACHIEVERS: Successful career and work-orientated people who like to feel in control of their lives. They value stability and are deeply committed to work and family. Work provides them with a sense of duty. Their social lives will be centred around family, church and career. They favour established, prestige products and services that demonstrate success to their peers.
  

• EXPERIENCERS: Young, enthusiastic, impulsive and rebellious. They seek variety and excitement, looking for the new, the offbeat and the risky. Still formulating life values and patterns of behaviour they quickly become enthusiastic about new possibilities but are just as quick to cool. They hold an awe for others’ wealth, prestige and power. They find outlets in sport, outdoor activities and social activities. They are avid consumers and spend much of their income on clothing, music and film. 
  

• BELIEVERS: Believers are conservative, conventional people with concrete beliefs based on traditional values: family, church, community and the nation. They follow established routines. As consumers they are conservative and predictable, favouring American products and established brands. Their income, education and energy are modest but sufficient to meet their needs. 

• STRIVERS: Strivers seek motivation and approval from the world around them. They are striving to find a secure place in life. Strivers are concerned about the opinions and approval of others. Money defines success for them but they don’t have enough of it and often feel that life has given them a raw deal. They emulate those who own more impressive possessions but what they wish to obtain is often beyond their means. 
  

• MAKERS: Practical people who have constructive skills and value self-sufficiency. They live within a traditional context of family, practical work, and physical recreation and have little interest in what lies outside of that context. They experience the world by working on it; fixing a car, growing vegetables etc. and have enough skill, income and energy to carry out their projects successfully. They are politically conservative, suspicious of new ideas and respectful of government. They are unimpressed by material possessions other than those with a practical or functional purpose i.e. tools.
  

• STRUGGLERS: Chronically poor, ill educated, low skilled and without strong social bonds. Their chief concerns are for the here and now and ensuring security and safety. They are cautious consumers. They represent a very modest market for most products and services but are loyal to favourite brands. 
  

Unlike the Jicnars scale the VALS scale includes all age group specifically, teenagers. The attitudes and personalities of teenagers are measured on the Teenage VALS scale. On this scale the personality types are: 

• TRENDIES: they crave the attention and admiration of their peers

• PURITANS: who wish to feel virtuous 

• INNOVATORS: who wish to make their mark 

• REBELS: who wish to remake the world in their own image 

• GROUPIES: who just want to be accepted 

• DRIFTERS: who are not sure what they want 

• DROP-OUTS: who shun commitment of any kind 

• TRADITIONALISTS: who want things to stay as they are 

• UTOPIANS: who want the world to be a better place 

• CYNICS: who have to have something to complain about 

• COWBOYS: who want easy money 

Both the Jicnars and VALS scale give a general overview of the population and the individuals within so that products can be marketed effectively.