New C4 research identifies real upmarket audience - the 'Proactives'

11 November 2014

Channel 4 today unveiled key industry research at its Upfront 2015 event which has found that the ABC1 audience definition widely used by the media industry is largely outdated. Representing 54% of the UK adult population, it hasn’t for some time correctly defined an upmarket ‘High Capital’ audience with both the economic means and a progressive attitude many advertisers want to reach. In fact, 1 in 5 (18%) of the High Capital group would not be classified as ABC1 using the current definition.

In an industry survey carried out by Channel 4, 62% of the media industry incorrectly identified ‘affluence’ to be what defines the current ABC1 Adult definition – even though 72% claimed to be knowledgeable of this key target group.

New research by Channel 4 conducted by Kantar Media has identified a ‘real’ upmarket audience. Channel 4 has defined this most progressive, valuable and sizable segment of the High Capital group as the ‘Proactives’.

This powerful group drives Channel 4’s own upmarket audience and has desirable characteristics versus the traditional ABC1 definition – ‘more money’, ‘higher propensity to trial’ and ‘more influential’.

Channel 4’s research will enable media agencies to identify and reach the ‘Proactives’ amongst their audiences to the benefit of advertisers. This group is now in the Target Group Index (TGI) and coded onto Target Group Ratings (TGR) to allow schedules to be optimised against this segmentation.

Speaking at the Channel 4 Upfront 2015 event at Old Billingsgate, London, Jonathan Allan, Sales Director said: “Our engaged 16-34 and ABC1 audiences define what makes the Channel 4 portfolio unique and valuable to advertisers. We knew the ABC1 definition was a pretty blunt trading audience so we asked Kantar to look harder at this important audience and they discovered the Proactives – the secret ingredient that makes our ABC1s more valuable than our competitors.

“Channel 4 is the home of innovative content, attracting the aspirational, discerning and light TV viewer – it’s why we’ve been crowned Channel of the Year in 2014 and continue to deliver extremely cost effective reach of valuable audiences.”

 

Notes to editors

• Media industry survey canvassed 200 respondents
• About Kantar Media
  Kantar Media provides critical information that helps our clients make better decisions about communications. We enable the world’s leading brands, publishers, agencies and industry bodies to navigate and succeed in a rapidly evolving media industry. Our services and data include analysis of paid media opportunities; counsel on brand reputation, corporate management and consumer engagement through owned media; and evaluating consumers’ reactions in earned media. As the global house of expertise in media and marketing information, Kantar Media provides clients with a broad range of insights, from audience