Using Public Relations Segmentation for Audience Analysis: D ifferentiating Travel Behaviors among Generational Cohorts

Big thanks to… Tennessee Dept. of Tourist Development for Funding this study!

Theoretical Frameworks Sociology:  The study of human social behavior, especially the study of the origins, organization, institutions, and development of human society.  Analysis of a social institution or societal segment as a self-contained entity or in relation to society as a whole.

Generational Theory The notion of a group of people bound together by the sharing of the experience of common historical events was first introduced by Karl Mannheim in the early 1920s. (AKA: grandfather of Generational research)

But ~ Not to be confused with… J. Walker Smith, PhDDaniel Yankelovich

Karl Mannheim “Sources of opposition, challenging existing societal norms and values and bringing social change through collection generational organization” (Edmunds & Turner, 2002) 1. Generational Site or Location 2. Generation as Actuality 3. Generational Units

Cohorts: Definition Generational Cohorts:  “The aggregation of individuals (within some population definition) who experience the same event within the same time interval" (Ryder, 1959)

Public Relations: the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its key publics. Market segmentation: the process of subdividing a market into distinct groups of consumers with similar needs, such that a subset of the market (a segment) can be selected as a target market and can be reached with a distinct marketing/communication mix.

Hypotheses H 1 : Pleasure travelers can be differentiated among the generational cohorts they represent by means of attraction visitation. H 2 : Pleasure travelers can be differentiated among the generational cohorts they represent by means of activity participation.

Method Participants/Instrument/ Administrative Procedures:  Sampling frame consists of visitors (age 18+) who stopped at various welcome centers throughout Tennessee.  Data were collected between April-Nov  A self-administered survey method using a 5-page questionnaire was employed.

Cohorts defined (per: Census Bureau / Yankelovich) Matures ( ) ~ to include WWII and Swing Generations Baby Boomers ( ) ~ to include leading/senior, core, and trailing boomers (AKA: Gen Jones) Generation X ( ) Generation Y ( ) ~ AKA: Echo Boomers / Millenials Internet Generation / Generation M ( present)

Profile of Respondents n = 1213 (usable questionnaires) Generational Cohorts: Matures (24%) years old: 62+ Boomers (44%) years old: Gen X (21%) years old: Echo Boomers (11%) years old: Generation “M” (Multi-Media Generation) years old: 11 and under (not included in this study)

Gender: Women: 45% Men: 53% Married: 50% Not Married: 25% No answer: 25% Education: High School only: 16% Some college, no degree: 22% Associates/Bachelors degree: 40% Masters Degree and beyond: 16%

Income: Up to $49k: 25% $50k-$89k: 50% $90k+: 25% Race: Caucasian: 50% African American: 25% Other: 25%

Statistical Analyses Prepped the data for analysis:  Ran a factor analysis among (2) sets of variables: activity participation and attraction visitation  Tested factors for reliability / then created the factors (for activities and attractions)  Collapsed age data into generational cohorts Ran the statistical analyses:  Submitted the factors and age cohorts to a cross-tabulation analysis to test hypotheses

Factor #1: Outdoor Recreation (α =.82) Bicycling Boating/Kayaking Camping Fishing Hiking Factor #2: Individual Recreation (α =.86) Gambling Golfing Hunting Motorcycling Nightlife/Dancing Social Event/Family Event Sporting Events (spectator )

Factor #1: Entertainment (α =.83) Amusement/Theme Parks Aquarium Convention/Conference Center Winery Zoological Park Motor Speedway Factor #2: Education Factor #2: Education (α =.86) Historical/War Landmark Science Center/Art Gallery/Museum National Park Nearby City TN State Park

Addressing Hypotheses… H1: Pleasure travelers can be differentiated among the generational cohorts they represent by means of attraction visitation. Results: X2 (6, N=1,116) = 18.9, p =.004 (“Matures” indicate the highest degree of entertainment attraction visitation) [SUPPORTED]

H2: Pleasure travelers can be differentiated among the generational cohorts they represent by means of activity participation. Results: X2 (6, N=1,166) = 18.0, p =.002 (“Boomers” indicate the highest degree of individual recreation participation) Results: X2 (6, N=1,166) = 21.1, p =.002 (“Boomers” indicate the highest degree of individual outdoor recreation participation) [SUPPORTED]

Discussion Public relations segmentation by means of generational cohort analysis is a viable way – both from a marketing and statistical perspective – to examine and identify publics (audiences) and the characteristics particular to each age cohort. Baby boomers continue to dominate the market place…but we can not neglect the othe cohorts ~ especially if our destination has something special to offer them.

Implications Particular to this Study