Expanding psychographic concepts in public relations: The composite audience profile

The intent of this chapter is to suggest a confluent treatment of independent audience analysis theories by proposing specific techniques of pre-message analysis vis-à-vis creative psychographic strategies. That is, this chapter demonstrates that combining demographic characteristics, creative psychographic information such as values and lifestyle, and adding emotional characteristics will provide a most comprehensive model of audience analysis, what we term the composite audience profile (CAP). This approach, garnered from public relations, communication, and advertising theory offers a great deal of utility for the public relations practitioner in that communication strategies can be constructed more effectively. In the following review, demographic characteristics, psychographic concepts, and emotional or affective characteristics of an audience are discussed, culminating in a strategy for comprehensive audience analysis. By utilizing this technique, public relations and communication specialists will have a better understanding of what their audience wants, who they are, and how emotional appeals can focus attention on the message.