Since all cellular phone services are fundamentally the same, why would a group of people with similar demographic and psychographic profiles favor one over the others? Here’s another example of brand preference. Cellular companies, are you paying attention?

In a 2008 National Report, The Media Audit published a cellular phone study that reveals the demographic profile and media habits among customers of the major carriers are distinct and may warrant different media tactics to attract new customers (http://www.themediaaudit.com ). The study analyzes four of the major carriers – Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile, as well as 15 additional national and regional cell carriers.

The study found that users of Sprint Nextel wireless are:

• Most likely to be heavy users of radio – 22.7% spend three or more hours listening per day
• More likely to be employed in a blue collar occupation (nearly one in five) or as a business owner/partner or corporate officer – 36% more likely than other cell carrier customers

The same study reveals that users of T-Mobile are:

• Most likely to be heavy Internet users – 43.6% spend three or more hours per day online (22% higher than the national average)
• Younger – 43.7% are between the ages of 18 and 34, and 64.5% are between the ages of 18 and 44.
• More ethnic – 37% more likely to be Hispanic and 35% more likely to be African American compared to the general population.

As for Verizon and AT&T, those users are:

• Among the most affluent – 28.2% of Verizon customers have household incomes over $100,000 while 27.4% of AT&T customers earn the same
• Most likely to be heavy newspaper readers – customers of both carriers are more likely to spend an hour or more per day reading a newspaper

Based on this study, how would you expect each company to shape its messages and what advertising channels do you think they should use? Hmmmm?