Decoding Earthlings: Beyond Segmentation, Toward Alignment 🛸

After several seasons observing the human species (and binging Third Rock from the Sun for inspiration), I’ve come to a groundbreaking realization: audience segmentation, as Earthlings practice it, is deeply flawed—but not useless.

You see, as Commander Dick Solomon and his crew quickly learned, Earthlings are messy, contradictory, and wildly unpredictable. One minute, they’re glued to PBS documentaries, the next they’re bingeing Tiger King. They identify as "loyal arts patrons," yet also ghost your newsletter and swipe past your carousel ad like it’s radioactive.

The solution?

According to an excellent Earth-sourced article from David Reece and Sarah Chambers published in ArtsProfessional, it’s not about slicing Earthlings into tidy demographic categories like "Retirees" or "Young Professionals." That’s like trying to understand humans by measuring their foreheads. (No offense, Tommy.)

Instead, it’s about audience alignment—a strategy that’s less "data as spreadsheet" and more "data as dialogue." As they put it:

“Segmentation is a mirror, not a map.”

📡 Translation for alien researchers (and arts marketers):

• Segmentation works best when it sparks reflection, not just reports. If it doesn’t make your team squirm a little, you’re probably not asking the right questions.

• It’s less about labels, more about shared purpose. Earthlings respond to authenticity, not acronyms.

• Values-based frameworks > vanity metrics. You don’t win loyalty by knowing someone’s zip code—you win it by knowing what moves them.

• Alignment isn’t tidy—and that’s the point. Earthlings aren’t simple. Neither are audiences. Embrace the mess.

The Takeaway:

If your arts organization still clings to ancient audience charts like sacred scrolls, it’s time for a cosmic reset. Forget boxes and buckets. Build alignment. Spark the conversations that matter. And for the love of Shatner, please don’t confuse your CRM with actual human connection.

Read the full article here: Beyond Segmentation: Towards Audience Alignment by David Reece & Sarah Chambers

👽 Final thought from your favorite GenX alien-in-residence: Earthlings may be strange, but they do respond well to storytelling, empathy, and snacks at events. Use that wisely.