8 Tribes Demographics
By Jason Kemp,
I noticed that Matt has completed the 8 tribes survey. Various people have been emailing me and each other to check it out and have a laugh. I completed it a few weeks ago and wondered if it would be useful in a business context.
One of the keys to better communication is to understand the way that groups of people around you and especially our/your customers view the world.
The 8 Tribes survey may give us some clues.
When we speaking with our customers we need to align ourselves with their needs, goal and desires to better serve them. When we are aligned with our customers we can save a lot of time and energy by knowing what will make the most sense in their particular universe.
But how do we get there, how do we become aligned to our customers?
Sales thinking has long identified different roles in buying process and devised particular methodologies to satisfy those different roles and/ specialised groups.
In the wider context we are also dealing with different regional, historical and social factors as well. To win business we also need to understand the wider social issues as well. We already recognise some of this thinking by bringing in industry and subject matter experts who "speak the same language".
One way of looking at a market is to get some form of social demographic read on which factors might be more important to a particular group. However that’s easier said then done or in this case, known as no one group of people is exactly the same as the next.
The trick is how to find out what those needs, wants and desires are within the context of each new group that we engage with. Perhaps we need to also know which tribe our customers belong to as well? What makes sense to a customer in Auckland or Sydney is not so valued in Dunedin or Canberra / Wellington.
Now there is a book that can give us some insights into which NZ "tribe" we might belong to which could be different from the one our customers are in. Certainly when you are in presentation in Dunedin (as I have been) it is wise to remember that Auckland latte drinkers might seem a tad smug and superficial in the heart of Otago.
However—now you can get a latte anywhere the local tribal characteristics and customs need a much smarter decoder. And just because someone lives in Dunedin doesn't mean they don't belong to the Grey Lynn tribe for example. In fact to extend the idea a bit each group translates the message that is most meaningful for them to their "tribe". Which is why a couple of consultant/ researchers* in Wellington have come up with a new book on the subject . It is called The Hidden Classes of New Zealand by Jill Caldwell and Christopher Brown. (*See About the authors.)
"8 Tribes calls an end to the myth of the “typical New Zealander” and gives us a new vocabulary to talk about New Zealand in the twenty first century. This snapshot of contemporary New Zealand explores our unspoken class system and the hidden social boundaries that separate us from each other. "
I did the test on the site (this link to try it out—automated) and apparently I am predominantly a member of the Grey Lynn tribe which values culture and ideas most highly. I also have a high percentage of Cuba St avant garde which is funny and more accurate than I'd like to admit. I do admit that I am contrarian and like to delve into the margins of art, film and music for example. Not sure what a negative rating means and a total zero in the North Shore column is worth thinking about as well. My profile result is shown below.
It is a great concept and perhaps we can gain some business insights from this as well.
Comments
David MacGregor
I have just completed the survey. I have to say that I find the concept of 'class' objectionable. Rightly or wrongly I prefer to think of New Zealand as egalitarian.
But, given that I am a Grey Lynn intellectual, I suppose I would say that.
Vincent Heeringa
I'm not sure how any of Balclutha slipped in to my profile
http://www.8tribes.co.nz/FINDYOURTRIBE/ProfileResults/tabid/188/Default.aspx?id=2b9ea5d3-85a1-4c0…
but it seems I'm negative for Papatoetoe, zero for Remerrs and totally hot for Grey Lynn. Man, I'm sick of Grey Lynn already. We just moved to Mt Albert to get away from the suffocating effects of the liberal miserables who inhabit it. The surprisingly strong presence of Otara in my profile I suspect relates to church and family connections. Anyway, this survey is stupid. Where's Upper Hutt? And I want my own category called Vincent Heeringa! (er, how Grey Lynn is that?)
Parkin
And perhaps they will gain some great marketing insights and a collection of email addresses too.
Being classed as Grey Lynn makes me feel distinctly uncomfortable.
Jason Kemp
Guys - its a framework for thinking about groups of people - there are no right or wrong answers. Being aware of other group "filters" is a good thing.
Know any other Idealog readers who have completed the survey and want to comment? Send them here to have their say…
Grace
I was pleasantly surprised to discover I'm a Raglanite - though I've only ever lived on the North Shore, funnily enough. No wonder I'm always skiving off to the wops - I'm self-employed, I write novels, hate consumerism, love the wilds of the bush. Yep, it all fits! But of course the locations listed are not intended to be literal, so I imagine this quiz would be a useful insight to folks who aren't Kiwis, too.
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