Briefs

Nascar dads are dead: New data shows unexpected consumer-voter links such as 'oil-filter Democrats,' 'insecticide conservatives' and 'Starbucks liberals.'

Brand Week, Sept 8, 2008, By Jim Edwards

Every election brings a new set of key voters, like "Nascar dads" or "soccer moms." But while the cable news crowd chatters about "arugula-eating leftists" and "red-meat Republicans," the actual data show less obvious correlations between consumer behavior and voting intent.

Get ready for "oil-filter liberals" and "insecticide conservatives."

According to data-mining company Axciom, Little Rock, Ark., consumers who describe themselves as "very liberal" are disproportionately likely to buy branded automobile oil filters and cigarettes. The "very conservative" consumers paid more attention to home and garden products, like insecticide and septic tank cleaners.

Mindset Media, Tarrytown, N.Y., found a correlation between Republicans and truck brands like GMC and Dodge. Also, while Republicans have derided Democrats as "Volvo drivers," that stereotype is no longer true: Dems now prefer Scion, Mini and Volkswagen.

This type of "microtargeting" research came into vogue in the 2000 and 2004 election cycles to enable candidates to tailor their messages for smaller and more specific audiences.

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