In other words, if you're a fan of The Office, you're basically Jim Halpert. So says a new study by "psychographic ad targeter Mindset Media" about how the television shows you watch give marketers insights into your personality. For instance: "[W]atchers of The Office think they are superior to others. In fact, folks who consider themselves superior to others are 47 percent more likely to watch this show. These alpha dogs believe they are extraordinary and happily brag about their accomplishments." That's what she said?
As a longtime fan of The Office, it does hurt to see those numbers in black and white. Meanwhile, what does this all mean to marketers? "Brands that would be a good buy on the show include Starbucks and BMW Series 3, while McDonald's and Lincoln Town Car would not be so good." Ha! If only Mindset Media saw my bank account...
The Office isn't the only television show mentioned in the study, naturally. Liberals are 124 percent more likely to watch Mad Men than other people; "rebels" -- or rulebreakers -- are 61 percent more likely to watch Family Guy than non-rebels; and "so-called experimentalists" are 24 percent more likely to watch Glee (they also "may even feel happiness or sadness more intensely than others").
As for Real Housewives of Orange County, fans of that series are likely to be more "pugnacious" than normal viewers, meaning they don't really care much about keeping the peace and appreciate "glam brands" like Botox. Pause here to feign surprise.
ยท Research Links Personality Traits to TV Viewing Habits [AdAge via EW]