The Market for Commercial Development in Lansdowne
PRIZM Findings
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As noted earlier, the PRIZM lifestyle segmentation system was developed by Claritas, Inc. to identify demographic and lifestyle variables that are predictors of consumer buying behavior. It is based upon national samples of the buying habits and lifestyles of the United States population, and may not always reflect exactly the buying preferences of every community. Despite some of these shortcomings, however, it is useful in developing a better understanding of the market for goods and services in Lansdowne’s primary and secondary market areas, and in developing strategies to reach that market. Following is a summary of what PRIZM says about Lansdowne and its secondary market area.
CLARITAS PRIZM CLUSTER REPORT
2001 HOUSEHOLD ESTIMATES
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Lansdowne
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Secondary Market
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| Cluster Name | # Households | % | # Households | % |
| Urban Midscale | ||||
| Urban Achievers | 2,345 | 49.7 | 7,305 | 17.2 |
| Big City Blend | 0 | 0 | 7,752 | 18.2 |
| Old Yankee Rows | 343 | 7.3 | 7,777 | 18.3 |
| Mid-City Mix | 0 | 0 | 1,938 | 4.6 |
| Urban Uptown | ||||
| Money & Brains | 579 | 12.3 | 4,881 | 11.5 |
| Young Literati | 0 | 0 | 1,486 | 3.5 |
| American Dreams | 670 | 14.2 | 3,634 | 8.5 |
| Bohemian Mix | 0 | 0 | 4,387 | 10.3 |
| 2nd City Society | ||||
| Gray Power | 779 | 16.5 | 964 | 2.3 |
| Urban Cores | ||||
| Single City Blues | 0 | 0 | 2,387 | 5.6 |
| Inner Cities | 0 | 0 | 68 | 0.2 |
| Total Estimated 2001 Households | 4,716 | 42,579 | 100.2 | |
Source: Claritas Inc.
The three major categories in which Lansdowne residents fall are Urban Midscale, Urban Uptown, and Second City Society. One additional major category that describes 5.8% of the residents of the secondary market area is Urban Cores. Following is a brief description of each of these categories, and of the subgroups within them.
Urban Midscale: These clusters "are the backbone of the middle-income, urban-fringe neighborhoods in America’s major metropolitan areas. This group is also highly concentrated, with 75% of the total households in the top five television markets and 96% in the top 25. The group averages below the affluence mean. These clusters have high potential densities and ethnic diversity, use public transportation, and survive all the perks and risks of urban life." Within Urban Midscale, there are:
Urban Achievers account for 49.7% of the Borough, and are the predominant household type, with a total of 2,345 households and 5,145 persons. There are also an additional 7,305 households, or 16,606 persons, in the secondary market area who fall into this category. According to PRIZM’s national findings, characteristics of these households are likely to be:
| Ethnic Diversity: | Predominantly White, High Asian and Hispanic |
| Family Type: | Singles and couples without children |
| Predominant Age Ranges: | 25 – 44; 65+ |
| Education Levels: | Some College, College Graduate |
| Employment Levels: | Professional, White Collar |
They travel by railroad, attend rock/pop concerts, buy jazz music, belong to Columbia House Music Club, paint, draw, or sculpt and go downhill skiing. They shop at Nordstrom, Banana Republic, Lane Bryant; own a new Saturn, an electronic organizer and an espresso maker; use pita bread; drink cordials and liqueurs. They listen to variety radio, news radio and jazz radio; watch tennis, men’s soccer championships, ABC News Nightline, New York Undercover, Siskel & Ebert, The Kennedy Center Presents and The Late Late Show. They read The New York Times, Allure, Conde Nast Traveler, Spin, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Essence, Vanity Fair and Gourmet.
Old Yankee Rows is the PRIZM cluster that is fifth in importance in Lansdowne. There are 343 households in this cluster, or 7.4% of the total, with 840 people. Characteristics of this cluster are:
| Ethnic Diversity: | Ethnically Diverse |
| Family Type: | Singles, Single Parents |
| Predominant Age Ranges: | 25 -44, 65+ |
| Education Levels: | High School, Grade School |
| Employment Levels: | White Collar, Blue Collar, and Service |
They are recent Asian and Latin American immigrants living in "magnet" neighborhoods. They tend to be single and live in rental multi-unit complexes. They buy contemporary pop music, smoke menthol cigarettes, attend a horse race, belong to a union, bowl 20+ times per year, and believe advertising. They shop at the Warner Brothers. Store, buy Firestone tires, a <$1,000 computer system, $250+shades/blinds, own separate stereo components and a car alarm/security system, use pita bread, and install their own carpeting. They listen to Black radio, news radio and urban contemporary radio, watch nostalgia TV, pay-per-view movies and sports, bowling, This Week with David Brinkley, Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Late Night with Conan O’Brien. They read Chicago Tribune Magazine, GQ, Bicycling, Spin, Mademoiselle, Entertainment Weekly, Sporting News, PC Computing.
Urban Uptown: Claritas describes this group as "the nation’s second most affluent social group. Major market concentrations are dense with over 94% of total households in the top 10 television markets. For over two decades, these clusters have had high concentrations of executives and professionals in business, finance, entertainment, and education. More recently, these clusters have absorbed a wave of upscale immigrants from Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East." American Dreams ranks third among the PRIZM groups in Lansdowne, with 670 households (14.2% of the total), and 1,868 persons. Characteristics of these households are:
| Ethnic Diversity: | Ethnically Diverse |
| Family Type: | Mixed |
| Predominant Age Ranges: | Mixed |
| Education Levels: | Some College, College Graduate |
| Employment Levels: | White Collar |
They are descendants of multi-cultural backgrounds, and are affluent from working hard at multiple trades and public service jobs. They have big families. They use call blocking and coupons for groceries, remodel their kitchens, eat at seafood restaurants, plan for large purchases, do step aerobics and are professional football fans. They own an Audi/BMW/Mercedes, a fax machine, an electric juicer, buy Sears tires, wood flooring, $250+ dining room furniture, shop at Macy’s, and drink Diet 7-Up. They listen to news radio, easy listening radio and Black radio; watch This Week with David Brinkley, Married with Children, Rolonda, New York Undercover, Siskel & Ebert, the Disney Channel and pay-per-view sports. They read Sunset, Essence, Food & Wine, Esquire, Health, Boating, Weight Watchers and photography magazines.
Money and Brains ranks fourth in the Borough, with 579 households, or 12.3% of the total population, or 1,489 persons. Characteristics of these households are:
| Ethnic Diversity: | Predominantly White, High Asian |
| Family Type: | Mixed |
| Predominant Age Ranges: | 45-54, 55-64, 65+ |
| Education Levels: | College Graduate |
| Employment Levels: | White Collar, Professional |
They are a mix of family types who own their own homes in upscale neighborhoods near cities. Dual incomes provide luxuries, travel, and entertainment. They use household cleaning services, buy 1940s-60′s pop music and soundtrack music, contract home remodeling, and belong to a frequent flyer program. They own a car alarm/security system, an espresso maker and utilities software, shop at Nordstrom and the Disney Store, buy Montblanc/Waterman pens, wood flooring, $250+ shades/blinds. They listen to news radio, classical and jazz radio, watch Washington Week Review, Masterpiece Theatre, NYPD Blue, The X-Files, The Movie Channel, The Travel Channel and the U. S. Tennis Open. They read Chicago Tribune Magazine, Byte, Scientific American, Esquire, Spin, Martha Stewart Living and Bon Appetit.
Second City Society: These clusters "top the economic scale in hundreds of America’s ‘second’ and ‘satellite’ cities. They are highly educated with big incomes. Most own their homes and are executives and professionals in local business, financial, health, legal, communications, and wholesale industries. They are far more conservative than their upscale peers who live in the suburbs of major metropolitan areas."
Gray Power ranks second in importance, and accounts for 16.5% of the Borough’s population, with 779 households and 1,657 persons. Characteristics of these households are:
| Ethnic Diversity: | Predominantly White |
| Family Type: | Married couples, Singles |
| Predominant Age Ranges: | 55 – 64; 65+ |
| Education Levels: | Some College, College Graduate |
| Employment Levels: | Professional, White Collar |
These are affluent retirees, who play golf, monitor their health and tend to their investment portfolios. They belong to a country club and/or fraternal order; play golf 20+ times per year; buy 1940′s to 1960′s music and classical music, and bank online. They own a Cadillac or Buick, a laptop computer, a giant screen TV, an electric coffee grinder; buy $250+ shades/blinds, drink scotch whiskey, install a ceramic tile floor. They listen to easy listening, nostalgia and soft contemporary radio; watch The Travel Channel, play tennis and golf, watch Wall Street Week, Great Performances, The 700 Club and the Today Show. They read The Saturday Evening Post, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, Conde Nast Traveler, Gourmet, Golf Digest, Modern Maturity and Bon Appetit.In addition to PRIZM Clusters for Lansdowne itself, there are also additional clusters in the secondary market area. They are:
- Big City Blend: Ethnically mixed, largely employed in blue collar jobs and living in older, stable, high-density areas;
- Mid City Mix: Ethnically mixed, employed in a mix of service and blue and white collar jobs; they live in urban row house neighborhoods;
- Young Literati: Well educated but not affluent, they are students and young professionals and executives, and usually do not have children.
- Bohemian Mix: Well educated, multi-ethnic singles, these artists, writers, and students prefer high-density rental units.
- Single City Blues: This multi-ethnic cluster is often found near urban universities; often works in the night trades, and has transient lifestyles.
- Inner Cities: Young, African American singles and single parents with high school and grade school educations.
In summary, About 50% of the primary market area is characterized as Urban Achiever, 16% as Gray Power, and 14% American Dreams. These three categories are typically white-collar professionals who are sports minded, and may ski or golf. Many are childless. They typically listen to news radio, easy listening, or jazz. They read a major newspaper, some time of finance magazine, and Bon Appetit or Gourmet Magazine.
Although the secondary market area is more mixed, Urban Achievers, Old Yankee Rows, and Big City Blend account for 53% of the population. In addition to the Urban Achievers described above, Big City Blend and Old Yankee Rows are a mixture of white and blue collar households who listen to news radio and read some sort of sports magazine.