Last edited 25 Feb 2021

Mosaic segmentation

Screen shot of City Prosperity class. Courtesy of Experian.

1 Introduction
2 Application
3 Classification categories
4 Mapping
5 Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
6 External references

[edit] Introduction

Mosaic UK is a geodemographic segmentation system devised by marketing services provider Experian to help advance marketing programmes, ensuring that the right information is targeted at the right groups. It is part of a family of Mosaic classifications covering 29 countries including Western Europe, the US, Australia and the Far East.

Mosaic was developed by Richard Webber, a geography professor at Kings College, London, in association with Experian. It is based on the idea that cities globally share common patterns of residential segregation.

[edit] Application

Based on information collected from census, electoral rolls, housing and financial data, Mosaic creates a demographic segmentation which assigns individuals and households into groups and detailed types. This can be used for marketing purposes to target chosen groups with specific information.

Mosaic is said to allow firms to:

Personalise customer experience to improve retention and share of their spend.
Understand target audiences and strengthen brand awareness
Understand new geographic concentrations of customers to optimise location footprint.

Although there are numerous geodemographic segmentation systems, Mosaic is one of the most widely used in the corporate and public sectors, particularly in finance, insurance, retail and telecoms.

[edit] Classification categories

In devising Mosaic, Experian says it identified key demographic changes that influence consumer behaviour. The 2009 version of Mosaic UK has 15 lifestyle (or socio-economic) classifications as follows:

A – City Prosperity
B – Prestige Positions
C – Country Living
D – Rural Reality
E – Senior Security
F – Suburban Stability
G – Domestic Success
H – Aspiring Homemakers
I – Family Basics
J – Transient Renters
K – Municipal Tenants
L – Vintage Value
M – Modest Traditions
N – Urban Cohesion
Q – Rental Hubs

Each of the above classifications is further subdivided, making a total of 66 subclasses. A few examples are as follows:

A01 – Global high flyers and moneyed families living luxurious lifestyles in London’s most exclusive boroughs.
C11 – Country-loving families pursuing a rural idyll in comfortable village homes, many commuting some distance to work.
E21 - Senior singles owning affordable but pleasant homes, whose reduced incomes are satisfactory.
I39 - Families with children in low-value social houses making limited resources go a long way.

[edit] Mapping

Mosaic data can be overlaid onto maps to highlight the geographic distribution of the chosen parameters and reveal important detail that might otherwise not be discernible. For example, within rural areas, it can highlight households that are likely to be commuting to towns and cities nearby, or residents with more of a local focus i.e in blue collar, agricultural or mining/ manufacturing occupations.