Mainstream vs Niche and Demographic Profiles

 When we talk about a mainstream audience we are usually referring to the audience of a product that has mass appeal and a large audience, such as blockbuster films etc.

When we talk about a niche audience we are usually referring to a media product that has a small/specific audience. A magazine for something like model railways would be for a niche audience.


Mainstream Example:

Mojo









Noel is very mainstream.

This magazine is quote "packed with insight, passion, and revelatory encounters with the greatest musicians of all-time, be they established or emerging musicians."

It also looks quite generic, which is usually a good sign when you're looking for mainstream-ness.


Niche Example:

Steam Railway

This is accidentally the same as the example in the PowerPoint but as it was accidental I'm going to stick with it. Trains are a comparatively niche area of interest especially to the extent of subscribing to a magazine about them.

But why bother making niche products at all? Because there's less competition, and as long as there's still an audience in some capacity they are still there 'regardless of mass appeal'.

Demographic Profiles:
Look at this table

This is from the National Readership Survey (NRS) and is still worked with today despite being 50 years old.

Based on this, companies work their content largely around these groups.

Mojo: BC1C2 maybe? I mean anyone can be interested in music so the only real restriction is price and maybe A are too snobbish to read anything besides Cheshire Life.

Trains: ABC1, because it feels like middle class old men are the type to have the time to have the interest in trains. If people are this interested they might go on a lot of train trips, which can be expensive.











small Daniel Craig

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