Have you ever wondered what separates the real health and wellness enthusiasts from those who are simply good at talking the talk? We don’t. Not because we don’t care, but because we know. For over 20 years we have confidently segmented consumers along a continuum of involvement in health and wellness and we can deeply describe their varied motivations, barriers, preferred product attributes, and more.
The World ModelTM is the Hartman Group’s proprietary segmentation approach that has been validated and applied within the food and beverage industry by many of the leading brands in health and wellness. In 2021, 13% of the US population were represented by the Core (trend leaders) segment, 63% were in the Mid-level segment (mainstreamers), and 24% were in the Periphery (bystanders). As we’re in the midst of fielding Health and Wellness 2023, you may wonder how we are expecting those segment sizes to change given the last three years of living in a pandemic. Well, not much. The size of these segments does not change much from year-to-year, but the nature of each segment can change a lot. In fact, we watch the Core segment very closely for shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and reliance on various information sources. The Core might be small, but it is a mighty segment that sets the direction for the other segments and the future of mainstream health and wellness culture.
The World ModelTM has helped food and beverage companies strategically target new consumers and position brands, and it has been applied tactically to guide decisions about on-pack claims, identify marketing communications language, and reveal brand and portfolio opportunities for companies. Post-pandemic and pre-recession, health and wellness consumers may have dramatically changed and The World ModelTM will not only capture these shifts, but it will make them very easy to act on in 2023 and beyond. To learn how, Health and Wellness 2023 will be available March 30, 2023.