Are you a true Aussie battler, too cool for school or does status matter in your neighbourhood?Helix Personas, a clever new online profiling tool, has classified Australia’s entire population into 56 different personas and mapped where they live down to the street and house number. Anyone can now type an address into http://www.helixpersonas.com.au/ to find a highly detailed profile of the type of people likely to be living there – giving house hunters a free sneak peek at their potential neighbours.
Developed by leading research company Roy Morgan Research, Helix Personas combine the results of hundreds of thousands of comprehensive personal surveys with best-of-breed mapping technology from MapData Services (MDS), to produce multi-dimensional insights into how – and where – all types of Australians live.Â
MDS geo-data guru Cassandra Barker said the profiles are the result of decades of research by Roy Morgan into people’s attitudes, beliefs, values, aspirations, confidence levels and consumption patterns. “Creating personas linked to geography is a fascinating way of viewing the encyclopaedic socio-demographic data that’s been collected by Roy Morgan over the past 70 years,†Ms Barker said.Â
“Mapping this incredible pool of data has created a colourful patchwork of personalities – and revealed all the unique and wonderful Australian characteristics that are the fabric of our society.Â
“It’s a potent and vital tool for any business looking to better understand and target current and potential customers – but it’s also a fun tool for the general public. “Now if you’re asked, ‘how well do you know your neighbour’ – you can find the answer with just a click of your mouse!â€
The 56 Helix Personas are grouped into seven communities which range from high-income ‘Leading Lifestyles’ to doing-it-tough Aussie ‘Battlers’. For example, in the ‘Leading Lifestyles’ community is the ‘Status Matters’ persona – typically young families who are tech-savvy, fashionable and have expensive tastes (but still enjoy scoring a bargain!).
The fictional person depicted is a high income sales manager addicted to shopping and designer clothing, who may have bought a new house partly to get the first homebuyer grant. The statistics reveal they buy stylish sports cars to commute to work and large SUVs for the weekend.Â
At the other end of the scale in the ‘Battlers’ community are the ‘Coupon Cutters’ who fight hard to make ends meet. They may: have limited education; be unemployed; enjoy gardening and playing the pokies; shop at Kmart and Bunnings; and eat out at McDonald’s McCafe.Â
Helix Program Manager John Ellenberger said while the program was designed to enable businesses to better understand, target and communicate with their customers, everyone is able to check out their own profile just by typing in their address. “Helix Personas has streamlined demographic profiling by clustering 20-odd million unique Australians into seven recognisable communities and 56 relevant, usable personasâ€, Mr Ellenberger said.
“It reveals fascinating insights into behaviours and habits that would have otherwise remained hidden, so Australian businesses can more accurately segment their customers by their behaviours, attitudes and core beliefsâ€. “For instance, when we examined the ‘Status Matters’ persona – with high income and a desire for the latest fashions and technologies but with no intention of paying full price – we found they are much more likely than the average Australian to peruse David Jones catalogues, but unlikely to actually shop there.”
Mr Ellenberger said users are often surprised by the accuracy and depth of the persona described after submitting nothing but a home address—whether it’s their own or that of a neighbour, friend, colleague or perhaps even a potential love interest.
“We are encouraging people to come and take a look and have a bit of fun with it.†The profile overviews and statistics can be accessed on the website for free at www.helixpersonas.com.au
Submitted by:
Daniel LatoÂ
Media Liaison
MapData Services
dan.lato@mapdataservices.com
Media Liaison
MapData Services
dan.lato@mapdataservices.com
