The VALS Typology www'sricbi'comVALS

1
The VALS Typology www.sric-bi.com/VALS

• David Forlani,
• University of Colorado at Denver and Health
  Sciences Center

2
What is VALS

• VALS is a marketing and consulting tool that
  helps businesses develop and execute more
  effective customer-based strategies worldwide.
• VALS attempts to identify current and future
  opportunities by segmenting the consumer
  marketplace on the personality traits that
  motivate consumer behavior and the resources that
  enable it.

3
VALS Main Variables

• Motivation is an internal force that impels us to
  act.
• Personality traits influence the form of that
  actionhow buying behavior is expressed.
• Buying behavior is an observable, external
  response to internal forces.
• Market segments are groups of individuals whose
  buying behavior is similar at a given level of a
  characteristic (within segment) and different at
  other levels (across segments).

4
VALS Dimensions (Drivers)

• Primary Motivation an individuals core driver,
  that which shapes the expression of his or her
  buying behavior. The focus here is more on wants
  than needshow the need for transportation is
  filled (BMW 3 series, Subaru WRX, Honda Pilot).

5
VALS Dimensions (Drivers)

• Resources include energy, self-confidence,
  intellectualism, leadership, age, education and
  financial ability. Reflecting psychological and
  demographic factors, resource levels enhance or
  constrain how a person expresses his or her
  primary motivation.

6
VALS Primary Motivations

• Ideals buying behaviors are guided by knowledge
  and principles.
• Achievement buying behaviors are guided by what
  the purchase says about the individual to his or
  her peers.
• Self-expression buying behaviors are guided by
  the products associated degrees of social or
  physical activity, variety, or risk.

7
Primary Motivation Questions

• 1. I am often interested in theories.
• 7. I like being in charge of a group.
• 3. I like a lot of variety in my life.
• 10. I am really interested only in a few things.
• 4. I love to make things I can use everyday.

8
Resource Questions

• 14. I have more ability than most people.
• 38. What is the highest level of formal education
  you have completed?
• 39. What was your total household income before
  taxes for the past calendar year (January through
  December)? (Please include income from all
  sources, including salaries, pensions, interest,
  dividends, bonuses, capital gains, profits,
  other.)

9
Response Formats

• Primary Motivations
• __Mostly disagree   __Somewhat disagree
• __Somewhat agree   __Mostly agree  
• Household Income
• __less than 10,000   __10,000 - 14,999
• __15,000 - 19,999 __20,000 - 24,999
• __25,000 - 29,999  __30,000 - 39,999
• __40,000 - 49,999  __50,000 - 74,999
• __75,000 - 99,999 __100,000 - 199,999
• __200,000 or more

10
VALS TYPOLOGY
11
VALS Types Innovators

• Successful, sophisticated, take-charge people
  with high self-esteem.
• Having abundant resources, they exhibit all three
  primary motivations in varying degrees.
• Are very active consumers, and their purchases
  reflect cultivated tastes for upscale, niche
  products and services.
• 382 index for art museums, 54 for watching Pro
  wrestling on TV.

12
VALS Types Thinkers

• Thinkers are well educated, motivated by ideals
  and actively seek out information when making
  decisions.
• They are mature, satisfied, comfortable, and
  reflective people who value order, knowledge, and
  responsibility.
• They are conservative, practical consumers who
  look for durability, functionality, and value in
  their purchases.
• 197 index for swimming pools, 48 for malt liquor.

13
VALS Types Achievers

• Achievers have goal-oriented lifestyles and a
  deep commitment to career and family.
• They value consensus, predictability, and
  stability over risk, intimacy, and
  self-discovery.
• Image is important to Achievers they favor
  established, prestige products that demonstrate
  success to their peers.
• 184 index for snow blowers, 55 for attending
  classical music concerts.

14
VALS Types Experiencers

• Experiencers are young, enthusiastic, and
  impulsive consumers who are motivated by
  self-expression.
• They seek variety socially and physically,
  savoring the new, offbeat, and the risky.
• They are avid consumers and spend a comparatively
  high proportion of their income on looking good
  and having "cool" stuff.
• 240 index for attending rock concert, 17 for
  owning municipal bonds.

15
VALS Types Believers

• Like Thinkers, Believers are motivated by ideals,
  but lack their level of resources.
• They have concrete beliefs based on traditional,
  moral codes that are deeply rooted and literally
  interpreted.
• They choose familiar products and established
  brands. They favor American products and are
  generally loyal customers.
• 141 index for organ ownership, 55 for foreign
  cars.

16
VALS Types Strivers

• Strivers are trendy, impulsive and fun loving,
  but are also concerned about the opinions and
  approval of others.
• Dont have enough money to meet their desires,
  but favor stylish products that emulate the
  purchases of wealthier people.
• Strivers see shopping as both a social activity
  and an opportunity to demonstrate to peers their
  ability to buy.
• 160 index for film/camera combo, 57 for visiting
  an art museum.

17
VALS Types Makers

• Motivated by self-expression, they value
  practicality and self-sufficiency.
• Makers are suspicious of new ideas and large
  institutions such as big business.
• They are unimpressed by material possessions
  unless they have a practical or functional
  purpose. Because they prefer value to luxury,
  they buy basic products.
• 347 index for hunting, 36 for cell phones.

18
VALS Types Survivors

• Since survivors have few resources, they do not
  show a strong primary motivation.
• Survivors are cautious consumers. They represent
  a very modest market for most goods and services.
  
• They are very brand loyal, especially if the
  product can be purchased at a discount.
• 126 index for instant coffee, 22 for going to a
  Jiffy Lube-type place.

19
VALS Applications Product Design

• A major telecommunications-product company used
  VALS to develop a product prototype and
  prioritize features and benefits, with a focus on
  early-adopters.
• The VALS findings helped them select a name and
  logo, choose an overall positioning strategy, and
  set an initial price point.

20
VALS Applications Channel Design

• A large pension plan provider to the United
  States used VALS to identify which of its
  participants it could effectively service
  electronically.
• By understanding the motivations of these
  consumers, the provider was able to revise its
  Web site and communications to better serve its
  participants' needs.

21
VALS Applications Promotion Design

• A Japanese auto manufacturer repositioned its
  product line in the United States by using VALS
  to better understand target consumers
  perceptions of its product mix.
• The resulting advertising campaign, based on
  VALS, increased sales 60 in six months.