Target Audience Analysis : Runner's World

Target audience analysis for Runner's World (Feb 2015 Issue)

Product Analysis :

Price - £4.50

Advertisers - sweatshop running retailer, Nike air zoom, Muller light, skins clothing, new balance trainers, lucozade, parkrun strava, mbna chester marathon, American Pistachios,  activinstinct, British heart foundation, The British 10k London run, prodirect, RockEurope marathons, lumie alarm clock, guide dogs, asics, trailblazer, jcp half marathon, brain tumour research, runningcrazy.co.uk.

Promotions and Competitions - Lucozade collect codes - get kit, Edinburgh marathon, New York running movements - Run tribes, 6 Issues for £9.99 subscription offers for Runner's world, The new complete guide to women's running from Runner's world.

Content - Tips for new runners, advice on how to sustain a run and to get motivated, food ideas, stories from professional runners, inspirational weight loss stories, places around the world to run.

Market Segmentation :

Demographic - 20-60, because running is common among younger members of society, however there are inspirational stories about older people running, therefore it is aimed at elderly as well. Would have a decent paid job in order to pay £4.50 for a magazine, or it may have been purchased by a family member or friend of the consumer, who believe they would want to read this magazine.

Geographic - Aimed at people around the world, hence how the name is Runner's World. This shows it is universal, and everyone can read it. However, this issue is primarily for citizens residing in the UK, as on the footers of most pages, there is a link to the magazine's website, runnersworld.co.uk, hence it is aimed at UK citizens. The spine of the magazine says Hearst - Rodale UK, reinforcing the fact it is available only in the UK. Aimed nowhere specifically in the UK.

Benefits - A consumer will read this magazine because they are either experienced runners or those interested in becoming a runner. An experienced runner would want to read this because they want tips on how to improve their skills and knowledge. They also read it because it contains locations of where they may want to run in the future. A novice runner would want to read this magazine because it provides advice for new-comers, and tips on how to improve their running overall. Runners of all expertise would read this because it showcases healthy food ideas, which are helpful as runners will presumably want to stay healthy and in shape.

Psychographic - Would probably have a bit of spare time in their lives, hence how they are aspiring to run. This magazine is not hipster or alternative, it is seemingly mainstream and inclusive, therefore the ideal consumer is not extremely specific. The target reader is someone interested in running, and has a fair amount of money to pay for running gear and to pay for this magazine in particular.

Behaviouristic - The target reader would often purchase Runner's World on subscription, because they want to keep up with the latest running news every month. Many consumers would purchase this magazine in the effort to make it seem like they are going to be healthy, but in the end not end up running at all. The behaviour of this target audience are somewhat mainstream characteristics, in the sense that they have simpler, wider tastes - because they did not choose to read a more niche, alternative magazine that is focused on one aspect of running.