Research Guides: APRD 4403 Advertising Campaigns / APRD 4405 Strategic Communication Capstone (all sections): Consumers

Questions to Think About as You Research

Before starting your research, think about:

Who is your target audience?
Is your target audience a very specific group (e.g., first-year students at CU Boulder) or a very broad group (e.g., women 18-34 years old)?
- If your target audience is a specific group, set expectations for what you can find. The more specific your audience is, the less information you'll be able to find. You may need to think broader. For example, if you target audience is first-year students at CU Boulder, you may need to conduct separate research on college students, 18-22 year olds, and people living in Boulder or Colorado.

Mintel Academic
Market research database for information on consumer trends, demographics, and brand share.
Statista
Data and charts on consumers
Insider Intelligence
Insider Intelligence (eMarketer) provides research reports and data on consumers' online and mobile behavior and interests

Simmons Insights Guide
Data for creating in-depth analysis of the U.S. consumer and determining consumer product, media, and lifestyle preferences.
Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Go to the "Internet & Tech" tab for data about internet and social media use among different demographic groups.
CU Enrollment Data
CU enrollment data, including break down to college level in the Over-time Visualization and Single Page Profiles.

Claritas MyBestSegments
Use the Zip Code Lookup tool to learn about the demographics and buying habits of consumers in a specific area. A great deal of content is available for free. The website is a little slow.