New Hope Natural Media's Market Innovation Consumer Segmentation Provides Profiles of Consumer Attitudes, Motivators and Behaviors Regarding Acceptance and Adoption of Healthy Habits and Products

BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today New Hope Natural Media's Market Innovation Consumer Segmentation has been unveiled. The study produced by New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton, helps brands and retailers identify and target those consumers who are most likely to be early adopters of natural, organic and healthy products.  This segmentation will allow companies to more effectively target interested, passionate consumers with new products and provide them with concepts and marketing strategies to optimize product success.

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New Hope Natural Media's Market Innovation Consumer Segmentation data classifies consumers into groups based on multi-dimensional research.  Over 5,000+ consumers, representing over 90 percent of the US population were evaluated based on their feelings, opinions, habits and usage of health, nutrition, lifestyle and healthy products, as well as their affinity for new product concepts representing over 50 percent of a typical grocery/retail store basket.

This research identified five distinct consumer profiles, differentiated by lifestyles, behaviors, attitudes and beliefs about health and wellness.  Among these groups, this innovation-based segmentation uncovered a number of key learnings:

• Consumers are seeking personalized and convenient experiences where attributes such as packaging might be even more important than taste.
• Messaging and claims can make a huge impact on both product adoption and product sales right out of the gate.
• Attitudes towards ingredient avoidance and values such as local or sustainable vary dramatically between the segments. Marketers can take advantage of segment nuance to create more appealing and thus successful products.
• Consumer affinity towards new concepts (products not even yet in market) follows a by-segment pattern and can be predicted; product launch strategies can be much more informed and targeted.

Additionally, the research identified two segments of early adopters who have health and lifestyle concerns that are reflected by diet and lifestyle choices. Affinity for choices, such as 'free-from diets' and 'flexitarians,' can be mapped by US Census geographic data.

• #Young4Ever - skews male, younger, and for many natural products, just might be a better target than the uber-moms most traditional segmentations focus on.
• Chief Health Officers - largely represented by females, are green advocates, pay attention to labels, certifications, claims and ingredients and they tend to value issues such as sustainability and environmental consciousness; cause marketing initiates resonate well with them.

"The impetus for this segmentation research was to offer context, data and insights, giving brands an edge in natural product development as well as marketing and sales, driving market growth and bringing more healthy products to more people," said Len Monheit, Executive Director, Strategic Development, New Hope Natural Media.  "A key learning that sets our model apart is it clearly shows a newly identified, robust segment of early adopters – #Young4Ever – young, mostly male and willing and able to spend on health products that keep them young."  

The New Hope Natural Media's Market Innovation Consumer Segmentation is free to the industry and will be available through New Hope Natural Media's ongoing editorial coverage at:  http://newhope360.com/managing-your-business/infographic-why-consumers-do-or-do-not-buy-natural-products?cid=nl_360_daily.

About New Hope Natural Media
New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton, is the leading media resource and information provider for the natural, organic and healthy products industry, with print, in-person/event, and e-business products and services.

About Penton
For millions of business owners and decision-makers, Penton makes the difference every day. We engage our professional users by providing actionable ideas and insights, data and workflow tools, community and networking, both in person and virtually, all with deep relevance to their specific industries. We then activate this engagement by connecting users with tens of thousands of targeted providers of products and services to help drive business growth. Learn more about our company at www.penton.com.

Penton is a privately held company owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP.

CONTACTS:
Heather Smith
New Hope Natural Media
Phone: (303) 775-2461
Email: [email protected]

Kate Spellman
SVP, Marketing
Penton
Phone: (212) 204-4351
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE New Hope Natural Media