VIPer Research Targets ABs

A profile study of the affluent and aspirational of Britain is being undertaken by a consortium of companies comprising Channel 4, Classic FM, Condé Nast Publications, Times Newspapers and Mediapolis. The survey, called VIPer (Very Important People – Exclusive Research), is to explore the attitudes of the country’s ABs, a group which has increased in size by 18% in the past ten years.

The AB market now represents almost a quarter of the population and 35% of total household income according to VIPer. ABs also account for 40% of the total annual expenditure in markets such as cars, holidays, computers and wine.

The VIPer research, which will be conducted by RSGB, aims to discover what motivates and inspires this group. The study also hopes to sub-divide the AB category by analysing different attitudes and aptitudes of the people within it. VIPer will address a panel of over 1,000 economically active adults from across Britain.

The consortium is planning a long term programme with at least three waves each year. The field research begins this month and the first wave of results will be presented at a conference in September.

Peter Bowman, research director at Mediapolis, says: “Many of our clients are targeting these upmarket sectors, and Mediapolis is excited about our co-operation with several media companies which themselves play vital roles in the lives of these influential consumers. Already our qualitative research has revealed much diversity in this group, which renders the traditional AB classification too simplistic.”

Mediapolis: 0171 393 2455