How Ad Music Attitude-Based Consumer Segmentation Can Help Advertisers

Audio-visual advertising expenditure in developing countries like India is growing fast. Focusing on the advertising music attitude, global and local advertisers need to look into the musical consumption pattern of potential Indian consumers. Different consumers have different attitudes toward music deployed in the advertising, which they evaluate from the perspective of its fit (with different elements of the advertising); created appeal; utilitarian value. Hence, this study focuses on identifying possible segments of consumers based on their attitude toward advertising music (A(am)); ascertaining the difference between segments. Further, this study aims at ascertaining the musical preferences of consumers that may prescribe to substantial managerial implications. To identify segments, cluster analysis was carried out based on A(am.) Further, a multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) was conducted to find out the difference between clusters/segments. To identify consumers' music preferences, respondents were asked to rank their topmost music genre out of ten suggested genres. This research identified three consumer segments based on their A(am): enthusiasts, mainstreams, and non-enthusiasts. Enthusiasts, mainstreams, and non-enthusiasts all prefer advertising music from their favorite artists. The results indicated that the discriminant functions among clusters are significant. Consumer segmentation based on A(am) increases ad strategy effectiveness. Enthusiasts have a broad musical preference facilitating the most creativity in ad development and execution. Advertising music budget will determine music choice (preexisting, new, original artist, cover, etc.). Consequently, A(am) segmentation would help advertisers to design effective advertising music strategy.