TG: Target Group or Taken for Granted???

In the field of Creative, Media & Business Communication the word “Target Group” a.k.a TG is thrown around quite consistently. Actually it’s the cornerstone of any communication exercise in an institute or an office and more often than not it is the most important attribute of any organization in the business of selling. Having said so, an easy definition of target group would be the group of people we want to influence to buy the designated goods and services. Now here in is where the thought crosses the readers mind, as to if have lost my marbles to talk about a topic everyone is quite well informed about? Well as usual I do have a devious hidden agenda behind all this and before you navigate of the page & my reader count drops down to zero its suggested that I make it!

During my small stints in communication organizations and media firm I have come to realize that all this importance of delivering the message TG somehow gets lost in the hype and hoopla in the process of deliverance. The message sent out through the medium of print, television and internet somehow gloss it up to a level where the supposed connect dissolves in the secondary layer of faces and creativity. We market the attributes of a product and service yet the personalities selling them are nowhere close to the actual buyer. Why else would the fairness cream be endorsed my superstars (male & female) when in reality the afternoon sun tans us can rarely scorch them in their air conditioned cars. The issue here isn’t the face of a product or service the issue is better understanding of the TG, their problems and their issues.

Companies invest millions in researching how many meters a child grows after having their health drink but they invest very little in knowing what is the child’s mentality behind having that particular drink. The point I am trying to make is that research of such kinds will give them a direct connect with their buyers. The TG may buy a product one due to their fascination of the brand and the message but if it doesn’t match their expectations you have lost a buyer. It is hence necessary to not put on paper what our TG and their standard preferences are but try a bit more custom-made approach. Being a beginner and a learner forever I know a lot companies do invest time and money in understanding their consumers but do they apply the same when it comes to sending a message across?


If they do it’s great and if they don’t they should because after all TG doesn’t stand for a non- living object but a group of living people who are just more than a target! A guest lecturer in my media planning class had very eloquently quoted a philosophy about the TG saying, “Understand you buyer and you shall sell better!!!”…now that’s what I call a bull’s-eye!!!