Media AudiencesMedia audiences is the most important factor in the media. Without the audience the media would have no moral and wouldn’t be as productive and attractive. Audiences are often divided into categories based on social, lifestyle, business etc. this is where the advertisements separate their target audience into specific areas. Advertisements in media can be broachers, broadcasted, filmed/performed etc. Advertising costs a lot of money, up to millions. Advertisements are divided into target audiences by separating age, gender, lifestyle, sexuality, postcodes (geo demographics) and locations

Age In advertising, age is a modal target that is controlled when publishing. It

ranges from ‘U’ = suitable for everyone to ‘18’ = only above this adult age. There are 6 main codes for age restrictions on movies, games, adverts, and other public promotion products. These are the following;

U = suitable for All PG = Parental guidance 12 = 12 years + 12A = 12 adult 15 = 15 years + 18 = 18+ (adult)

The cinema industry categorizes audiences in many different ways but often relies on an age-related scheme which closely follows the film certification categories (U, PG,12, 15, 18):

•Children (5-11 years old)•Family groups•Teenagers / young couples / students•Adults

ABC 1; Demographic classifications in the UK refer to the social grade definitions, which are used to describe, measure and classify people of different social grade and income and earnings levels, for market research, social commentary, lifestyle statistics,

Gender Gender is another modal target audience that is controlled when

publishing and advertising. Different products vary for different genders. For example ‘Rimmel London’ is a woman eyeliner product which is clearly and purposefully aimed at females. Where as an example of a men's advert would be ‘Calvin Klein’ boxers. This is how advertising markets separate the gender equality when advertising.

Locations Locations are a key source to advertisements and publishing. When

adverts go out on the streets to be put up and published, they take in some data first, finding out which is the best area to promote and publish their product. Most companies/producers tend to have the common technique to put out their adverts on main/ high roads. This is clearly useful knowing it’s where customers and audiences spend their time, whether its just for lunch, or for working or living locations. For example setting up a poster of new ‘Nike running trainers’ in oxford street would be an immediate attraction as thousands of people occupy the location each day.

Lifestyle Adverts that are deliberately produced just for lifestyle are regularly done

at specific hours of the day. This is a technique advertisers use to make sure they are able to attract the correct audience at the correct time of the day. For example advertising a ‘Hugo Boss’ watch at 9am wouldn’t be a wise and persuasive decisions. Reason being for this is that just knowing that it’s a luxury/expensive products it automatically sections what target audience the advertisers are trying to get at, and in this case it would be professional working people (preferably men) that could afford this product. Therefore they would show the advert at a later time, possibly during the evening.

This would be done for any other type of lifestyle related products such as sport products, food, business, technology etc.