Thursday, 16 September 2010

Target Audience Profile

This post sees the formation of a Target Audience Profile; this is necessary in terms of creating an image and literary account of my potential target market.
I have decided to use the genre of supernatural horror, so I believe that the general age of my TA would range from the late teens to early thirties. I say this because; I can’t see anyone putting an age bracket on a good old fashion ghost story! However I do feel that this specific genre is aimed at an extremely more mature audience than for example, a ‘slasher’ horror would be. The gender of the genre consists of both male and female, yet I would say that perhaps films of a supernatural substance are more directed towards female audiences. Men are better suited to masses of blood, guts and gore, whilst women are more intrigued by sensitive and spiritual subjects such as ghosts, phantoms and paranormal events. 


If I were to describe the most common example of my target audience, they are likely to be intellectuals with a professional status which would be in the ABC1 bracket. They belong to a career that requires creativity, imagination and something with flare.  As for those in their late teens and early twenties, I would say they are in college or university and are likely to achieve such a professional status in the future. I would classify the TA’s marital status as ‘in a relationship’; I can imagine a female audience who uses film to relax and spend time with their boyfriends, taking an opportunity to unwind and escape the stresses and strains of real life, by watching a supernatural horror. 


To depict an image of the TA’s character and personality: They are spiritual beings who are open-minded and perceptive. They believe in the controversial and the contentious. They are the type of individuals who perhaps have had a paranormal experience, if not; they certainly enjoy hearing stories about such things. They are known for their non judgemental, generous and caring spirits. The TA are thrill seekers who thrive on fear, love the suspense of mystery and are seduced by the deliciousness of being scared. The TA would not be considered as avid cinema-goers; they’re more likely to stay in, curl up on the sofa and watch a DVD with their partner.

I can only presume that their favourite supernatural horrors would typically be ‘The Sixth Sense’, ‘The Orphanage’ and ‘The Others’. I believe that they too enjoy films that are both supernatural and psychological, such as ‘What Lies Beneath’. I can see the TA having an admiration for old black and white horrors such as Hitchcock’s’ ‘Psycho’ and ‘The Birds’. I believe the TA take a fancy to gothic horrors such as ‘Gothika’ as well as the Tim Burton classics, ‘Sleepy Hollow’ and ‘Edward Scissor hands’. Whilst we are on the subject of gothic films, I think the audiences would find ‘The Twilight Saga’ a guilty pleasure also. 





I can see the TA listening to music of an alternative/ indie rock genre; bands and artists such as ‘Biffy Clyro’, ‘Mumford and Sons’, ‘Lissie’, ‘Ellie Goulding’, 'Bat For Lashes', 'Lykke Li', 'Laura Marling' ‘The XX’, ‘Kings Of Leon’, ‘Temper Trap’, ‘Two Door Cinema Club’ and ‘She and Him’. Whilst also having an appreciation for much older music, such as The Smiths, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash. 



The TA have wide imaginations and so they enjoy reading books such as ‘The Time Travellers Wife’, ‘The Lovely Bones’ and ‘Twenties Girl’ as well as the classics romantic reads of Jane Austen: ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and ‘Emma’. As well as fantasists, the TA are romantics too who love to indulge in the whimsical wonders of life.


Here are just a few images that I feel, portrays the lives of my target audience...




Images courtesy of  http://misswallflower.tumblr.com/

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