When preparing the campaign, one of the biggest challenges is the question: “Who should I target?”

Is it the household or the individual?

Who to address on targeted tv advertising? Household or individual?

The consideration of buying a product is sometimes made by multiple family members. For some, audience data are tied to the household, and it becomes the primary focus.

Before deciding between a household or an individual, the marketing department needs to know the buyers’ persona and who is the decision-maker. For example, when deciding on a vacation destination, brands might see the value in targeting households. If the marketer knows that the mother makes the buying decision, then they should target the individual instead.

Frequency, reach, and customers experience

With insightful audience data and real-time targeting, marketers see the promise of delivering the right message to the right individual at the right time. Analysts at eMarketer suggest managing the messaging frequency, understanding reach, and creating a great customer experience without overflowing with messages and killing the desire for buying.

Targeting is not an easy task. When it comes to ad targeting, marketers need to consider whether the product is a shared item — for example, FMCG goods. The type of product or service being advertised may make the differentiation whether a marketer focuses more toward household- or individual-level targeting.

The product type and campaign objectives are only two considerations. The others include available data and the path the consumer might take to make the purchase.

Perhaps marketers are considering targeting the household rather than the individual based on the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Overall, it is not an either-or decision. The analysis of the data concludes that the focus on targeting individuals is not disappearing and that the emphasis on targeting households will play an essential role in the future. It can be also a great combination of storytelling.

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