Guides: SEC Capstone Resources: Demographics and Target Markets

Top Resources for Understanding the Consumer

Mintel This link opens in a new window
Market research and industry reports with market share, consumer profiles, forecasting, driving forces, and distribution methods. This database is only available to current Pepperdine students, faculty, and staff.
Passport (formerly Global Market Information Database) This link opens in a new window
Market research reports on countries, consumers and industries from Euromonitor International. Historic data from 1997 plus up-to-date forecast models including industry reports and market share data. This database is only available to current Pepperdine students, faculty, and staff.

Consumer Lifestyles information can be found from the Search Analysis section of the Passport opening page using the following steps:

Insider Intelligence (formerly eMarketer) This link opens in a new window
Includes daily market and media research articles, analyst reports, and a database of e-business and online marketing statistics.

American Time Use Survey
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Measures the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as work, childcare, leisure activities.
Consumer Expenditure Survey
Identifies the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers characteristics).
Population Projections
Forecasts from the U.S. Census
Population Reference Bureau (PRB) Data Finder
Provides summaries of U.S. demographic and population characteristics
Reports on Families, Computer Use, Migration/Geographic Mobility, etc.
Reports on Families, Computer Use, Migration/Geographic Mobility, etc.
United Nations Demographic and Social Statistics
Demographics on countries around the world.

United States Census Bureau Data This link opens in a new window
Leading source of up-to-date demographic data about the United States people and economy.

SRDS Media Solutions This link opens in a new window
Claritas 360 (formerly Nielsen Segmentation & Market Solutions) is an application available within SRDS that allows users to measure consumer demand and evaluate locations and markets. It provides users with information for finding best customers, customer locations, and how best to engage with them. *** Claritas 360 has replaced the Nielsen Segmentation & Market Solutions module.***

Simmons Brand Catalyst (replacing GfK MRI University Reporter) This link opens in a new window
For access, click Brand Catalyst at the top of the Simmons interface. Identifies the unique characteristics of over 8,000 brands to help define brand identity, differentiate against competitors, create unique personas, and drive effective media, creative, and partnership strategies.

Who's Buying [Series] by New Strategist
Call Number: ONLINE
ISBN: 9781937737627
New Strategist is a helpful resource for understanding consumer spending and demographic trends in the American marketplace with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How to Read a Mediamark Report
This one page PDF from Bentley University explains how to interpret data in a Mediamark report.
Mediamark University Internet Reporter Tutorial
This 15 page PDF document explains how to use the Mediamark University Internet Reporter.
How to Change MRI Mediamark Default Target Settings
This document from Bentley University librarians provides instructions for adding ALL available targets to your default target settings.
How to Use the Mediamark database
This series of Video Tutorials is brought to you by Western Washington University librarian, Elizabeth Stephan.
Mediamark Reporter/MRI+ User Guide Definitions
A guide to commonly used terms in the Mediamark/MRI+ databases.
Mediamark Survey of the American Consumer Questionnaires & Technical Guides
View the personal interview questionnaire, product booklet and technical guide (which includes methodology) used for each survey.