My Neighbourhood Statistics

Unfortunately, this diagram is expressing Barnet council area generally rather than my specific area which as far as I know it has to be one of the least deprived areas. Specially in terms of "income" (except me!) and "crime" what I have seen during last 6 months I've been living here was opposite of what is expressed in this diagram. Well, I suppose that's because of the small size of the area which considering the whole Barnet Council is a tiny part. In fact, to plan a strategic marketing plan for me and my neighbourhood it needs more detailed research. However, in terms of employment, education & health deprivation I think it's quite accurate and about the "Housing", I just don't have enough information. You can find out more about my neighbourhood in coming posts...

My VALS!

Experiencer/Innovator

My primary VALS type is Experiencer, and my secondary type is Innovator.The primary VALS type represents my dominant approach to life. The secondary classification represents a particular emphasis I give to my dominant approach.


Experiencers

Experiencers are motivated by self-expression. As young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers, Experiencers quickly become enthusiastic about new possibilities but are equally quick to cool. They seek variety and excitement, savoring the new, the offbeat, and the risky. Their energy finds an outlet in exercise, sports, outdoor recreation, and social activities.Experiencers are avid consumers and spend a comparatively high proportion of their income on fashion, entertainment, and socializing. Their purchases reflect the emphasis they place on looking good and having "cool" stuff.

Innovators

Innovators are successful, sophisticated, take-charge people with high self-esteem. Because they have such abundant resources, they exhibit all three primary motivations in varying degrees. They are change leaders and are the most receptive to new ideas and technologies. Innovators are very active consumers, and their purchases reflect cultivated tastes for upscale, niche products and services.Image is important to Innovators, not as evidence of status or power but as an expression of their taste, independence, and personality. Innovators are among the established and emerging leaders in business and government, yet they continue to seek challenges. Their lives are characterized by variety. Their possessions and recreation reflect a cultivated taste for the finer things in life.

Well, it's not that easy to fairly judge your behaviour but at the same time it is just you who can judge whether some comments about you is right or wrong. Here I'm not judging myself. I'm just giving my honest opinion on my VALS report.

My first primary VALS type is Experiencers which according to the explanation it's exactly me! Unbelievable! This is me who just easily gets carried away about new ideas and even more quickly forget everything about them. And of course that is true that I am taking risks. I want to try anything new although I always have this fear inside about experiencing new things and that makes me a little bit slow in my new decisions in my life. But at the end of the day usually I do something unpredictable even for myself and I am usually happy with new decisions, NOT because they were the "right" decisions but because I'm doing something different. I spend a lot of money and time on watching movies and eating. Yes, I love to eat. No matter how much money I earn, I have to go to restaurants at least twice a week and for the rest of meals I spend a lot of time in week on preparing them. Well, that's me ...

My secondary VALS classification is Innovators which doesn't seem totally me. Actually it's exactly what "people" think of me, and it's not real me. For instance, I don't see self-esteem in myself. Although it's believed behaviour is the result of personality but there is slightly a contrast in my behaviours and my personality or I haven't known myself good enough! Anyway I believe as a customer my behaviour is important. Therefore this classification could represent me as a consumer.

My ACORN profile (Golders Green, Temple Fortune)

Often, many of the people who live in this sort of postcode will be affluent urban professionals living in flats. These are known as type 15 in the ACORN classification and 1.17% of the UK’s population live in this type.
Neighbourhoods fitting this profile are found primarily in London (Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Merton, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond-upon-Thames and Ealing) as well as in Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh. Here is an overview of the likely preferences and features of your neighbourhood:

These people live in affluent urban areas, where large attractive houses have often been converted into flats. Whilst many do own their home, the proportion of rented accommodation is relatively high. People in this type are very highly qualified; one in four have postgraduate and professional qualifications. They work in professional and senior managerial occupations, with many spending very long hours at work. Most residents are either young singles or couples. There are very few children and those there are tend to be under five, which suggests that young families move on from these areas. As one of the highest earning types, they have relatively high disposable incomes. They invest in a broad range of products including high interest accounts, ISAs, and stocks and shares. They are comfortable using the Internet to do their financial research. In the winter, this type is the most likely to go skiing. They will then take at least one other holiday which is usually foreign and often far flung. When at home they take advantage of the range of theatre and arts available to them from living in the city. They also enjoy good food and wine, both at home and in restaurants. They are interested in current affairs and are very likely to buy a daily paper, which they probably read as they commute to work. They usually choose from The Guardian, Independent, The Times and Financial Times. At the weekend they like The Sunday Times and Observer.

This ACORN profile is relatively more accurate than "Deprivation" report as it has investigated my neighbourhood, which is not large area, instead of the whole Barnet council. For a marketing plan it seems more trustworthy. As I live in this area completely accidentally and it is going to be short time, all aspects of this profile does not necessarily apply to me. As I live here temporarily and I don't have a proper job and I've just started my new life in the UK I suppose the first three prefrences; family income, interest in current affaires and housing status wouldn't apply to me. However, it is true that I'm studying to degree level, we are a young couple with no children and we don't have sattelite as watchiong TV is more like an English class rather than entertainment for us.