The 3SC Monitor is an annual survey of 2,600 Canadians aged 15 and older. Interviews are conducted in the respondent’s home, and consist of more than 250 questions probing social values and beliefs.

Responses for the entire survey, when analyzed statistically and compared with previous years’ results, reveal the strength and direction of social trends in Canada.

The 3SC Monitor analyzes 64 social trends. These trends are placed on a psychographic ‘map’ and their movements tracked among a wide variety of geographic, demographic and attitudinal subgroups within the general population.

Clients of the 3SC Monitor place their own questions on the survey. When the answers to client questions are cross-tabulated with the answers to socio-cultural questions, the survey provides a customized analysis of the values and beliefs of clients’ customers, the customers of their competitors, and those of other significant demographic groups.

This profile shows which values are most strongly held by each user group.

In the case of Home Store, a hypothetical use of the 3SC system would be the following:

The problem

Home Store wants to know if there is room for it to expand its operations in Canada and, if so, where that market would be.

The analysis

Home Store included questions in the 3SC Monitor that revealed that a large potential market not only existed, but that it contained the three major socio-cultural segments which have been placed on the socio-cultural map below and are described as follows:

1) The traditional do-it-yourselfers have used the same retail outlets for many years and tend to be brand loyal in their product choices. They hold traditional social values, including the desire to save money wisely, and have close ties to family and community.

2) The struggling status-seekers are getting into the renovation market for the first time. They would normally ‘trade up’ to bigger houses in order to impress their friends, but tough economic times are forcing them to compensate with home improvements.

3) The Me Generation novices are just starting out in their new homes. They do not care about what their peers think of their homes. Instead, they want their homes to reflect the personalities and lifestyles of themselves and their families.

The solution

Initially, the 3SC consulting team recommended the client use three separate strategies to closely target each of the three consumer segments.

Because the client could not afford to implement this program, we developed a ‘bridging’ strategy to target all three socio-cultural segments together through merchandising, marketing, communications and public relations.

By focussing on the values that the three groups hold in common (such as the importance of family, the need to save money, and the desire for attractive homes), all three socio-cultural groups can be effectively appealed to at once without using an expensive ‘three-pronged’ strategy.

For more information, contact Michael Adams, president of Environics and director 3SC, or Stephanie Cooper, associate director 3SC, Environics Research Group, 45 Charles St. E., Toronto, Ont., M4Y 1S2. Tel: (416) 964-1397, fax (416) 964-2486.