Classifying Consumers by "Desire" Perspective. What Consumer Profiles Emerge?

DENTSU DESIRE DESIGN (DDD) is a project that seeks to unravel the modern consumer profile, which has become increasingly elusive to companies, by revisiting consumer consciousness rooted in "Desire."

This series will introduce the approach DDD members take to uncover consumer insights rooted in the "desires" underlying needs, along with future developments.

This time, Yoko Kudo of Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc. introduces the typology of consumer "desire" – specifically, a cluster analysis based on desire that reveals the major types of people who exist in the world, broadly categorized by the kinds of desires they possess.

<Table of Contents>

▼ "Desire Clusters": Consumers Categorized by the Direction of Their Desires

▼ "360-Degree Powerful":StrongDesires in Multiple Directions

▼ "Our Favorites First": StrongPossessionand Connection Desires

▼ "Never Old": Strong PossessionDesire, Weaker Altruistic Contribution Desire

▼ "Homebody": High Possession and Affection Desires, Low Connection Desire

"Desire Clusters" typifying consumers based on the direction of their desires

Before examining the demands and needs that lead to "consumption," what desires do today's consumers actually have? Based on the 11 desire factors extracted through factor analysis ( see Part 3 for details ), DDD conducted cluster analysis.

Cluster analysis groups consumers with similar individual desire orientations into broad categories.
This analysis revealed a total of 10 distinct cluster types.

From these 10 types, we will primarily introduce four here.

"360-Degree Powerful" – Strong desires across multiple areas

The "360-Degree Powerful" cluster exhibits high responsiveness to desire factors across multiple dimensions, representing a greedy cluster.

Their strongest desire compared to the overall group is "Wanting to influence and control others."
Today, social media expands relationships, creating diverse connections, and everyone belongs to multiple communities. For the "360-Degree Powerful" who aspire to be influential, it seems crucial not only to know trends and topics but also to have a high sense of social contribution and to be "in the know" across multiple areas.

They also seek not just one-sided validation, but genuine usefulness and effectiveness in helping others.

In consumption, they enjoy unique experiences and personal growth. Saunas, which offer extreme physical sensations like "hot" and "cold" to create a sense of specialness while balancing mind and body, are a symbolic consumption choice.

The hypothesis for keywords driving emotionally resonant consumption is:

• Things that make you feel knowledgeable
• Updates oneself or boosts motivation
• Special experiences that can be shared with friends or others

Examples of comments from respondents classified in this cluster during the survey regarding "specific consumption that moved their hearts" are as follows:

"Our Likes First" – Strong Possession and Connection Desires

"Our Likes First" is characterized by strong desires in both "possession" and "connection" directions. Demographically, this cluster consists mostly of women, particularly those in their 20s and 30s.

They have a strong desire to spend money freely on things they love and to indulge in their passions.
They get deeply immersed, connecting with others who share their passion ("#〇〇好きと繋がり"), savoring and amplifying their own interests and favorites with others. They seem to be the type who fully immerse themselves in enjoying the moment.

While their desire to consume and enjoy their "likes" is strong, perhaps due to budget constraints, they seem highly interested in smart shopping methods, such as mastering bargain information.

Symbolic of this "our passion comes first" consumption behavior is the high usage of flea market apps like Mercari and Rakuten Rakuma, where they can buy or sell at great deals and discover their passions or hidden gems.

Hypotheses for keywords driving emotionally driven consumption include:

• Beautiful, cute, delicious—those little moments of delight and instant happiness
• Consumption related to one's favorite things or motivated by them
• Connecting through shared interests and enjoying things together

Examples of "specific heart-stirring consumption" comments from people classified in this cluster in the same survey questionnaire are as follows.

"Never Old" – Strong desire for ownership, weaker altruistic contribution

Compared to the overall group, "Never Old" stands out for its particularly strong desire for "sexy experiences," along with high desires for "meeting people" and "collecting things."

This cluster has a higher proportion of men. While it includes younger individuals, it notably features more men in their 40s and 50s than average.
Rather than settling into adulthood as they age, they want to remain desirable and enjoy acquiring desired items at any age. They may also suggest a type with a strong personal aesthetic sense, often hobbyists or gear enthusiasts with their own distinct world.

A symbolic consumption behavior for this group is the high rate of experiencing "FIRE" (Financial Independence, Retire Early).
They seem to prioritize a life filled with dreams and allure, and a free, rich life true to themselves, over social success or status.

※ = FIRE
An acronym for "Financial Independence, Retire Early," meaning financial self-sufficiency and early retirement. It has gained attention in Japan in recent years as a new way of life—living without working while free from financial anxiety.
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The hypothesis for keywords that drive emotional consumption is:

• Things that make you look cool/beautiful
• Things that expand your hobby-related self or allow deep immersion
• Purely cool or beautiful items and gear

Examples of comments from people classified in this cluster regarding "specific purchases that moved them" in the same survey questionnaire are as follows.

"Home Guardian" (High Possession & Love Desire, Low Connection Desire)

The "Homebody" cluster has strong desires for "possession" and "to love and be loved."

While their desire to love and be loved is strong, their "desire for connection and meeting people" and "desire for recognition from others" are below average. They value relationships with those close to them over expanding their social circle. They are presumed to be the type whose interests lie within their immediate surroundings and sphere of life.

Their values prioritize personal satisfaction over others' opinions or comparisons with others.
They likely value relationships with family and close friends, embracing a life where they cherish daily moments at their own pace.

Their heartfelt spending tends to focus on items that make home time more comfortable and enriching, such as home appliances, daily necessities, and content like books, DVDs, and streaming services. Their consumption behavior is symbolized by a high rate of using "online store sales (Amazon Time Sale, Rakuten Super Sale, etc.)."

Hypotheses for keywords driving heartfelt consumption include:

• Comfort, security, convenience—things that make daily life pleasant
• Things that are close at hand and enjoyable. Things that enrich free time and home time
• Adding color to life. Creating small moments of emotional richness. Things to savor with family or close friends

Examples of comments from respondents classified in this cluster regarding "specific purchases that moved them" in the same survey questionnaire are as follows.

These four clusters share a high level of "desire to own things" among the 10 clusters. However, their combined desires and the desires they seek to fulfill through consumption vary depending on the other desires they possess.

At DDD, we explore marketing strategies by first identifying consumers' desires (Desire), then considering what constitutes a more desirable experience design. We support the creation of products and services that better fulfill consumers' hearts.
Next time, we will share ideas on how to approach each cluster and what "strategies" stimulate which desires to drive consumer action.

[Survey Overview]
Title: Dentsu Inc. "Heart-Moving Consumption Survey"
Purpose: Analyze increasingly elusive consumer awareness from the perspective of consumer desire within an ever-changing social environment to interpret the future of Japan's consumer society.
Target Area: Nationwide, Japan
Respondent Criteria: Ages 20–74
Sample Size: 3,000 samples (allocated according to population ratios across 6 age groups [20s-70s] and 2 gender categories)
Survey Method: Internet survey
Survey Period: May 2021 Survey: Tuesday, May 18, 2021 – Friday, May 21, 2021
September 2021 Survey: Friday, September 3, 2021 – Monday, September 6, 2021
December 2021 Survey: Thursday, December 16, 2021 - Sunday, December 19, 2021
May 2022 Survey: Thursday, May 12, 2022 – Sunday, May 15, 2022
Research Agency: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.
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*Cluster tendencies are extracted from the above four surveys
Cluster analysis was performed using May 2021 survey data; subsequent iterations reproduce results through cluster reallocation.
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