Marketing Application to VALS Model in Indian Context

Strategic Business Insights (SBI)'s VALS framework is one the best models to describe the psychographic consumer segmentation. In our daily life, knowingly or unknowingly, we come across several advertisements that are inspired from these life-styles. Study of buyer behaviour reveals that more the buyer's lifestyle relates to the appeal, more favourable is the attitude towards the brands. 

Lets try to understand the Indian detergent market with the help of VALS framework:

Survivors are the consumers with low resources hence their lifestyle is not governed by any of the basic motivations. They are very low on resources and thus only ends are important. Marketers must focus here on price sensitivity first and then on trust and loyalty. They would buy a product only if they realise the need and importance of the product:

In this Tide advert, the target market is made to think on the value of the product. Also the demand is created when it was made affordable by offering Re. 1/- sachets.

Talking about Believers, they are the people with concrete belief. They are low on resources and prefers products that are reasonably priced. Since the primary motivation is ideals, they would be traditional and rigid. They require a strong persuasive communication to come out of the rigidity. Lalitaji was identified as a traditional, yet well organised housewife who has concrete and smart thinking for herself and her family. 

This Surf Lalitaji commercial persuades the consumer to buy expensive but more effective detergent, i.e. Surf. 

In the low resources category, Strivers are the consumers motivated by achievements. Here, celebrity endorsements (at times completely off the track) works a lot.

And that is why, you see Salman Khan endorsing Wheel detergent. Unrelated yet positive value addition is also popular. For example, fragrances!The idea behind such appeal is to touch upon the s fun-loving tendencies of strivers. Celebrity endorsement also increase value of association.

Makers, on the  other hand, needs an appeal which is focus on their own self. Product purchases are majorly motivated by self-sufficient, confident personality.

This Rin advertisement is about a practical and down-to-earth girl, who like to be self dependent.

Now, we are coming towards, high on resources consumer categories. First Thinkers. Driven by ideals, these consumers are high on resources and hence open to innovation. Thinkers are reflective, and thus important value propositions attracts them.

This Ariel ad shares story of a mother, who seems to be focus on the satisfaction that she gets while cleaning her daughters clothes every time. The proud story also reveals the level of satisfaction that she gets in her daughter's success.

Achievers are goal oriented, high on resources consumers. Appeals like success, career and family works for such consumer. Since they are high on resources, they only buy premium products.

Surf Excel Daag Acche hai campaign talks about such consumers.

For Experiencers, a creative appeal focusing on excitement is the best one.  They are young, enthusiastic, high on resources consumers and would not mind paying if the product strikes them.

This Henko ad is one of those ad that increases the level of curiosity and thus would create a favourable attitude in the minds of experiencers.

Innovators are very high on resources and thus go beyond regular purchases. They prefer add-on type of products that are expensive marketed to niche. These consumers are successful, sophisticated, active and take-charge types.

The products like Vanish are most suitable for such consumers.

In the present scenario, some if these psychographics are diminishing. What do you think?