Copyright 2024

SINUS Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH

The Sinus-Meta-Milieus ®

Information on an international target group segmentation model

People from different countries
but comparable milieus
often have more in common
than with the rest of
their fellow countrymen

Manfred Tautscher
CEO SINUS Institute
 Content 3

Table of content

Why Meta-Milieus? 04

What are the Meta-Milieus? 05

How are the Meta-Milieus typically applied? 10

Sinus-Meta-Milieus®: Established Markets 11

Individual counts and analyses with the Meta-Milieus 12

How can I obtain information and data on the Meta-Milieus? 13

Meta-Milieus in microgeography 15

About the SINUS Institute 16

Contact 18
4 Why Meta-Milieus?

Sinus-Meta-Milieus®: The gold standard

of international target group segmentation

With over 40 years of experience in work with target

groups and lifeworld research, we apply our knowledge
to international markets.

Social Status
The Sinus-Meta-Milieus® are based on the Sinus-Milieu Model, which was
originally developed for the German market at the end of the 1970s and later
adapted for Austria and Switzerland. Starting from local everyday realities, it
quickly became apparent that „groups of like-minded people“ exist, stretching
beyond national borders, and that common basic orientations, values, and Higher
lifestyles could be identified. Often, people from different countries but in
comparable milieus had more in common than they did with their countrymen
in different milieus. This fact led to the identification of broad, multi-national
everyday life segments – which we call „Meta-Milieus“.

We live in an age of shifting boundaries. This offers numerous opportunities for

some milieus but overwhelms and unsettles others. From a strategic marketing
and communications perspective, it is therefore increasingly important to Middle
distinguish between the different milieus and correctly understand high-value
target groups. The Meta-Milieus provide a powerful and practical planning tool
for this purpose on an international level.

Successful product planning and communication today require a

comprehensive and at the same time differentiated approach to the consumer,
which makes it necessary to classify target groups more precisely than
conventional sociodemographic variables allow. The Meta-Milieus offer
a proven approach that focuses on consumers’ lifestyles and basic value Lower
orientations.

The Meta-Milieus target group model is more than just a fashionable variant
on the typical market research toolkit. It is a well-established, systematic, and
creative approach to research, marketing, and communication alike. Basic Values
 What are the Meta-Milieus? 5

The Sinus-Meta-Milieus® are a model

of target groups within society

The milieu model by SINUS: “Groups of like-minded people”

Intellectuals
Established (INT) Performers
(EST) (PER) Cosmopolitan
Avantgarde
(COS)

Adaptive Progressive Realists

Conventional Navigators (PRO)
Mainstream (ADA)
(CMS)
Traditionals
(TRA) Sensation-
oriented
(SEN)

Consumer-Materialists
(CMA)
© SINUS

Traditional Modernisation Re-orientation

Sense of Duty Individualisation, Multiple Options,
and Order Self-actualisation, Pleasure Experimentation, Paradoxes

The Meta-Milieus group together people with similar The Sinus-Milieu models are all graphically very similar.
values and a comparable social status. While each The vertical axis shows the social position of each
milieu has a distinct character, the transitions between milieu (ranging from low to high) and the horizontal axis
them are fluid. We call this the „uncertainty factor in shows the value orientation (ranging from traditional to
everyday reality“. postmodern). The higher a milieu’s position on the chart,
the more upscale its education, income and occupational
position. The further to the right a milieu is located, the
more modern its basic value orientation in a sociocultural
sense.
6 What are the Meta-Milieus?

Lifeworlds:
more than income and age

It is common sense that different people in a certain model captures lifestyles, value orientations, and aesthetic
country or city live in very different “worlds”: they have preferences – while also taking social position into account.
different values, life goals, lifestyles, etc.
The Meta-Milieus therefore offer marketers more
The Meta-Milieus shed light on these lifeworlds in a information and better decision-making aids than
differentiated way. This is important because the diversity conventional target group approaches.
of lifestyles is often a more significant factor in people’s
everyday experience than socio-demographic variables like Meta-Milieu models exist for Germany, Austria and
income or age. Social affiliation and consumer choices alike Switzerland as well as for over 50 other countries.
are shaped not only by socio-economic criteria, but also The models are continuously adapted to sociocultural
by lifestyle commonalities and differences. The Meta-Milieu changes in the respective societies.

Three people with similar sociodemographic characteristics

(same age, education, income, marital status, living in a big
city...) can nevertheless have very different goals, living en-
vironments, and consumer preferences.

New York City

Security-driven Success-driven Creativity-driven

 What are the Meta-Milieus? 7

Striking a balance between comparability

and precision

For our international milieu model, we distinguish between Such transnational target group models are essential
two global economic spheres: Established Markets and against the backdrop of globalized markets. An
Emerging Markets. Both spheres have their own model, international marketing strategy cannot assume that
with ten and nine milieus, respectively. These milieus insights gained in one country can simply be transferred
describe the lifeworlds of consumers holistically and to other countries without foregoing knowledge of their
across countries, without ignoring local characteristics. structural conditions. The aim of SINUS‘ international
milieu research is to provide globally active companies
with information about current target groups and the
dynamics of social change, thereby providing a basis for
sound marketing decisions. The Sinus-Meta-Milieus® are
modelled on a country-specific basis, with the premise
of being as uniform as possible as an international
target group instrument, but also as country-specific as
necessary.

The Sinus-Meta-Milieu® model has been developed for the Established Markets
with 38 countries and for the Emerging Markets with 13 countries:

Established Markets Emerging Markets

8 What are the Meta-Milieus?

The Established Markets

The Established Markets model consists of ten Sinus-Meta-Milieus®:

Social Status

Higher
Intellectuals
Established (INT) Performers
(EST) (PER) Cosmopolitan
Avantgarde
(COS)

Middle Adaptive Progressive Realists

Conventional Navigators (PRO)
Mainstream (ADA)
(CMS)
Traditionals
(TRA) Sensation-
oriented
(SEN)
Lower
Consumer-Materialists
(CMA)
© SINUS

Basic Values Traditional Modernisation Re-orientation

Sense of Duty Individualisation, Multiple Options,
and Order Self-actualisation, Pleasure Experimentation, Paradoxes

For these countries we apply the Established Markets model

West/South Europe East Europe Core Anglosphere

Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Australia

Czech
Denmark Finland Hungary Canada
Republic

France Germany Lithuania Poland USA

Greece Ireland Serbia Slovakia

Italy Luxembourg Slovenia Romania

Norway Netherlands
East Asia West Asia
Portugal Spain Hong Kong Japan Israel

Sweden Switzerland Singapore South Korea Turkey

United Arab
United Kingdom Taiwan
Emirates
 What are the Meta-Milieus? 9

The Emerging Markets

The Emerging Markets model consists of nine Sinus-Meta-Milieus®:

Social Status

Modern Modern
Higher Established Performing
Conservative (MEST) (PER) Cosmo-
Established politian
(CEST) Avantgarde
(COS)

Adapting
Middle Mainstream Success-
(AMS) Oriented
(SUC)
Traditional Sensation-
Rural Oriented
(TRA) (SEN)

Urban
Lower Working Class
(UWC)
© SINUS

Basic Values Traditional Adaptation Modernity

„to belong“ „to advance“ „to indulge“
rules, norms, authority quality of life self-centered

For these countries we apply the Emerging Markets model

Americas Africa Europe Asia

Brazil South Africa Russia China Indonesia

Colombia Ukraine India Malaysia

Mexico Philippines Thailand

Vietnam

Emerging Markets are usually found in countries that escaping poverty and, unlike previous generations,
were formerly colonized or shaped by genuinely socialist having real opportunities to advance socially and build
governments. Economic growth and individualization prosperity. In Established Markets, on the other hand, the
processes, as well as a broader distribution of wealth in heart of society is under pressure to maintain a standard
society, often began in the 1990s, though these processes of living built up by the previous generation, namely the
were already taking place in the Established Markets current generation’s parents. Even if social advancement
in the 1960s and 1970s. One of the main differences is still possible in Established Markets, fear of losing one’s
between the two models can be found in the heart of economic and social position are more pronounced, with
society. In Emerging Markets, the economic upturn of the view of the future often more pessimistic.
recent decades has led to large sections of society
10 How are the Meta-Milieus typically applied?

The Meta-Milieus can be applied in a wide range

of areas and disciplines. This makes them a unifying
thread in the entire marketing process.

SINUS can help tailor Meta-Milieu applications suited to your business.

The Meta-Milieus enable the differentiated description of customer and buyer groups, the targeted positioning of
products and services, the definition of market segments for new products and relaunches, the detection of market
niches, the efficient identification of buyer potentials, and the early recognition and localization of new trends and
opportunities.

Because the Meta-Milieus capture the lifeworlds and lifestyles of consumers, they anchor a comprehensive information
system that can be used for target group optimization. This applies to all areas of marketing, from product development to
brand positioning, as well as communication and media planning.

Product
Positioning
development

Strategy Intellectuals Targeting

Established Performers
Cosmopolitan
Avantgarde

Adaptive Progressive Realists

Conventional Navigators
Mainstream
Traditionals
Sensation-
oriented

Consumer-Materialists

Efficiency
Media Planning
control

CRM Distribution

There is hardly a category in marketing and social research for which the Meta-Milieus cannot be used

To achieve an even higher degree of accuracy, contact us at any time to plan your own study. We can design deep dives
into the topics that are most relevant for you (and only you). A custom study will not only provide exclusive data on critical
topics from the perspective of the Meta-Milieus, but also the chance to work with our consultants to interpret this data’s
significance for you and your project.
 Sinus-Meta-Milieus®: Established Markets 11

The Sinus-Meta-Milieus® (Established Markets)

Established Markets Milieus Short Description

Leading Milieus Established Status-driven conservative elite:

High self-confidence; classic responsibility and performance ethics; exclusivity
and status claims; acceptance of social order

Intellectuals Academic elite with post-material roots:

High affinity for indulgence, sensuality, art & culture; critical of globalization;
advocating for justice & public welfare; taking responsibility for oneself and
others; affinity for (continuing) education and embracing quality of life

Performers Efficiency- and progress-oriented modern elite:

Global economic and liberal thinking; affinity for “best in class” consumption,
modern design, early adopting; interest in technology & digital; competitive
and career-oriented, networker; open to change, new things

Milieus Cosmopolitan Avantgarde Ambitious & individualistic avant-garde:

of the Future Cosmopolitan, urban, mobile & flexible; digital nomads, life-style vanguards;
pronounced self-expression; postmodern lifestyle elite, anti-mainstream, desire
to stand out; joie de vivre, ambitious and success-oriented

Progressive Realists Drivers of social transformation:

Sustainable lifestyle without ideology of renunciation; driving the global social
transformation; progressive, optimistic; taking responsibility for society; ease of
dealing with contradictions, party & protest, seriousness & entertainment

Modern Adaptive Navigators Adapting modern mainstream:

Mainstream Flexible pragmatists; young modern middle class; high willingness to adapt and
perform; modern lifestyle, digital affinity; reliable & loyal, open to new – but
tested and verified - things

Sensation-Oriented Materialistic- and entertainment-focused (lower) middle class:

Hedonistic approach, with focus on today; conspicuous consumption;
adjustment if necessary, breakout if possible; unconcerned, open to risks;
anti-bourgeois yet materialistic life-style, rejection of political correctness and
conventions; looking for fun, action, entertainment, stimulation

Traditional Conventional Mainstream Harmony-seeking older middle-class:

Mainstream Middle class under financial and ideological pressure; desire for secure
circumstances, fear of losing well-deserved achievements; search for
community, cohesion, social life, neighborly support – down to earth; distrust
towards the primacy of the elites – feeling of being left out in favor of others

Traditionals Order-seeking older generation:

Petty bourgeois world, traditional working-class culture; desire for social
security, harmony, consistency; (voluntarily) disconnection from modern lifestyle
and digital culture; desire for simple, safe, down-to-earth lifestyle

Consumer-Materialists Lower class striving for orientation and participation:

Precarious living conditions; undemanding adaptation to necessities; desire for
consumption standard of the middle class; defiant cohesion within their own
community; fear of speed of change, being left behind
12 Individual counts and analyses with the Meta-Milieus

SINUS can prepare custom-tailored milieu data on

consumer behavior in numerous markets

Durable
Cosmetics Power supply Bicycles
consumer good

Cars and Investment

Nutrition
mobility and insurance

Computers Household
Traveling Food
and laptops and living

Media (print, Leisure and Media (analogue

TV, online holiday and digital

Consumer Medication Consumer

Health
electronics and body care goods

Finances and
(E-)Commerce insurance Fashion
companies

From A for automotive to Z for Zoo vists

Through our cooperation with Kantar Media, we have access to international market media studies in more than 20
countries and can carry out individual counts and analyses on this basis - according to Sinus-Meta-Milieus® or, if
desired, according to predefined demographic subgroups. The basis for this is the international market media study
„Target Group Index“, TGI for short, which collects representative data on consumer behavior and media use.

If the TGI data pool doesn’t cover your core topics, conducting a custom study with the SINUS Institute lets you define
the data points to collect on target groups in more than 50 countries.
 How can I obtain information and data on the Meta-Milieus? 13

Target group knowledge

with SINUS information packages

Basic characteristics, lifestyle, media profiles, and much more

Our information packages establish a good foundation for working with the Meta-Milieus. The transnational
information package for the „Established Markets“ contains in-depth information (in words and pictures) about the
Sinus-Meta-Milieus® which are mainly located in Europe and North America. With this information, you will be able to
work competently and comprehensively with each individual international target group.

In addition to a detailed introductory chapter on the Meta-Milieus, this information package contains more than 100
pages of qualitative findings based on international milieu research for each of the ten established Sinus-Meta-Milieus:

Sinus-Meta-Milieus: Emerging Markets

• Key characteristics
• Sociodemographic overview and key values
• Lifestyle collages The Sinus-Meta-Milieus ®
Emerging Markets
• Identity and worldview
• Living environment
• Sociocultural trends
• Media profile
• Communication profile
• Consumption profile © Copyright Sinus-Institut, Heidelberg

dĞŝů ĚĞƌ /Ed'Z>Ͳ^/Eh^ͲKW/E/KE 'ƌƵƉƉĞ

The package for the „Emerging Markets“ focusses on countries that are mainly located in Asia, Africa and South America
and is also available in English language. It contains a transitional comprehension of the following topics:

• Key characteristics
Interested? For more details • Sociodemographic overview and
on our Information packages key values
• Lifestyle collages
visit our website • Identity and worldview
• Living environment

The Country Booklets are available for more than 40 countries and contain further information in English about the Meta-
Milieus in the respective countries. Each country booklet contains around 30 pages and offers compact insights into all
Meta-Milieus:

Country Booklet: Japan

The Sinus-Meta-Milieus®
• Market size of the Sinus-Meta-Milieus® Country Booklet: Japan

• Sinus-Meta-Milieus® short profile Country Booklet: India

• Lifestyle collage
The Sinus-Meta-Milieus ®
• Sociodemographics Country Booklet: India
© Copyright Sinus-Institut, Heidelberg

Teil der INTEGRAL-SINUS-OPINION Gruppe

© Copyright Sinus-Institut, Heidelberg

Teil der INTEGRAL-SINUS-OPINION Gruppe

14 How can I obtain information and data on the Meta-Milieus?

Enrichment of quantitative data Lectures and workshops about the

with the Sinus-Meta-Milieus® Sinus-Meta-Milieus®

Sinus-Milieu-Boost No stage is too small or too big for us

For an uncomplicated and cost-efficient integration Our lectures and workshops live from the first-hand
of the Meta-Milieus, we offer various options: impressions of our ethnological field research and from
Commissioning per boost or contingents (at a reduced the social science interpretation of findings.
price).
Our team of scientists did not grow up in an academic
theory ivory tower, but out in the field. Accordingly,
they can report on our studies in a true-to-life and
Enrichment with milieus is informative way.
suitable for many study
formats: Whether it is a discussion panel at the local youth
center or a keynote speech at international science
• Usage & attitude studies conferences, whether it‘s a researcher or a CEO as a
• Product and concept testing speaker - we will find the right voice for your event.
• Customer satisfaction analysis
• Advertising material test
• Image studies
• Tracking studies
• Visitor and user analysis
• Advertising effectiveness research
The benefits of the Milieu-Workshops

The benefits of the Milieu-Boost • Introduction to working with the Meta-Milieus

• Vivid and entertaining presentation of different living
environments with practical exercises
• Various follow-up workshops possible, e.g. for
Sociocultural in-depth analyses communication or product positioning
• Milieu deepening of existing segmentations
• Refinement & quantification of personas

Embedding in an info-ecosystem
• Possibility of recourse to milieu-correlated data pools
• Findings do not have to be collected again

Insights from existing Milieu studies

• Many Sinus studies are publicly available
• Possibility to compare and supplement one‘s own
target group knowledge

Geo marketing
• Transferability to microgeography

Visit our website Visit our website

for more information for more information
on our research on our workshops
 Meta-Milieus in microgeography 15

Where do which milieus live?

In order to make the Meta-Milieus usable for direct marketing

and spatial planning, the Meta-Milieus in global microgeo-
graphy were developed in cooperation between SINUS and
Michael Bauer Research (MB-Research).

Based on the country-specific primary survey of the milieus with regard to their demographic, socio-economic
SINUS Institute for the internationally homogeneous and geographic variables. This makes it possible for MB-
segmentation of the resident population according to Research to determine the geographical distribution of
milieu segments, MB-Research analyses the respective milieus even at the smallest level.

Sinus-Meta-Milieus Type TRA - Traditionals

Greater London Area on the level of Districts
HF Hammersmith and Fulham Dacorum Harlow
St Albans Welwyn Hatfield
KC Kensington and Chelsea
LO City of London Broxbourne
Chiltern Watford
Three Rivers
Hertsmere East of England
Epping Forest
Wycombe
Chelmsford
Enfield

Barnet
Harrow
Brentwood
South Bucks
Haringey
Waltham
Hillingdon Brent Forest Redbridge

Slough Camden Islington Hackney Basildon

Ealing Havering
Windsor and Maidenhead West- Tower Barking and
minster LO Newham Dagenham
KC Hamlets
Bracknell Hounslow HF Southwark
Forest
Richmond upon London Thurrock
Lambeth Greenwich
Thames Wandsworth
Spelthorne
Bexley
Lewisham
Runnymede
Kingston
Merton
upon Dartford
Thames
Surrey Heath Medway
Elmbridge
Sutton Gravesham
Epsom and Bromley
Woking Croydon
Ewell

South East Sevenoaks

Reigate and Banstead

Mole Valley
Guildford Tandridge Tonbridge and Malling
Maidstone

© Sinus Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH, Heidelberg, Michael Bauer Research GmbH, Nuremberg

The Meta Milieus can be used for different purposes:

Strategic marketing New customer acquisition Customer loyalty

• Product development • Target group analyses and • Milieu-specific measures and
• Brand positioning localisation address
• CRM, distributions and sales • Optimisation of advertising • Cross- and up-selling
• Fundraising channels and customer approach
• Address selections, direct mailing,
Out of Home, insert optimisation

Location/branch network planning Communication planning

• Identification of target group • Business and layout design
potential in the catchment area • Milieu-specific reach/affinities
• Category management, PoS
marketing
16 About the SINUS Institute

The SINUS Institute

Understanding what moves people

The SINUS Institute is an independent, owner-run institute

for market and social research

With ethnological curiosity, empathy, respect, scientific reliability and, last but not least, over 40 years of
experience, SINUS researches the everyday reality of people, sociocultural change and its significance for
companies and institutions.

The SINUS Institute is part of the INTEGRAL-SINUS-OPINION Group, with offices in Vienna (INTEGRAL),
Heidelberg, Berlin (SINUS) and Nuremberg (OPINION). Together, the group has more than 100 years of
experience in market and social research in the German-speaking countries (GSA) and worldwide.

SINUS maintains a large number of national and international research and consulting cooperations and has
built up a worldwide network of experts from a wide range of disciplines: Leading agencies and consultants,
specialized research institutes, universities, brand technicians, direct marketers and renowned design experts
cooperate - in some cases exclusively - with SINUS.

The SINUS Academy offers a comprehensive range of lectures, workshops and further training on social and
market research topics.

SINUS is advised by an interdisciplinary scientific advisory board with renowned experts from marketing,
management, educational research, urban sociology and the church.

SINUS examines SINUS develops and

people‘s motives and describes target groups -
constitutions tailor-made

SINUS records
sociocultural change
and identifies trends

SINUS translates SINUS is broadly

research findings into networked in business
strategic advice and science
SINUS identifies target
groups that determine
the trends of the future
 About the SINUS Institute - typical topics 17

Digital/Internet Energy Bicycle

Politics Finance Flight und Migration

Gender Health Youth

Future Luxury Environment/Nature

Family Employer Branding, Recruiting Religion

Tourism Living Media

28

Contact

Sinus Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH

Adenauerplatz 1
69115 Heidelberg
Tel:+49 6221 8089-0

Heimstraße 18
10965 Berlin
Tel:+49 30 20613098-11

[email protected]
www.sinus-institut.de

Sinus-Meta-Milieus Strategiy Consultancy

Manfred Tautscher Silke Borgstedt
CEO Managing Director
[email protected] [email protected]

Milieu-Boost, Licences Milieus in Microgeography

Jan Hecht Christiane Betzner
Associate Director Michael Bauer Research GmbH
[email protected] [email protected]

Milieu Info Packages Milieu Certification, Lectures

Nadine Laufer Susanne Ernst
Research & Consulting Sinus-Akademie
[email protected] [email protected]

Ad hoc studies Expert on EU projects

Naima Wisniewski Dr. James Edwards
Research & Consulting Senior Research & Consulting
[email protected] [email protected]

© Copyright 2024
SINUS Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH
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