Audience Segmentation and Climate Change Communication

Title
Audience Segmentation and Climate Change Communication
Publication Date
2017
Author(s)
Hine, Don W
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3905-7026
Email: dhine@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:dhine
Phillips, Wendy J
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5063-5758
Email: wphilli4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:wphilli4
Driver, Aaron
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7145-809X
Email: adriver3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:adriver3
Morrison, Mark
Editor
Editor(s): Allan Graubard, Hans van Storch
Type of document
Entry In Reference Work
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Place of publication
Oxford, United Kingdom
Edition
1
DOI
10.1093/acrefore/9780190228620.013.390
UNE publication id
une:20946
Abstract
Scientists and policy makers face significant challenges when attempting to engage the public about climate change. An important first step is to understand the number and nature of the audiences one plans to target-a process known as audience segmentation. Segmentation involves identifying, within an audience or target population, homogenous subgroups that share similar demographic and/or psychographic profiles. After segmenting an audience, climate change communicators can target their messages based on the unique characteristics of each subgroup. For example, to stimulate engagement and behavior change, messages aimed at audiences that are skeptical about climate change may require different content and framing than messages aimed at audiences already deeply concerned about climate change. The notion of matching message content to audience characteristics has a long history, dating back to the Ancient Greeks. More recently, audience segmentation has played a central role in targeted advertising and also social marketing, which uses marketing principles to help 'sell' ideas and behaviors that benefit society. Applications to climate change communication are becoming more common, with major segmentation and communication initiatives being implemented across the globe.
Link
Citation
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science, v.Climate Change Communication, p. 1-67
Start page
1
End page
67

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