Customer Targeting, Geodemographics and Lifestyle Approaches

It is necessary to begin by saying what we mean by 'geodemographics', and this is by no means a straightforward task. Interestingly, there is no description to be found in the second edition of the 'Dictionary of Human Geography' (Johnston et al, 1986) which stands on my bookshelf. This in itself is an eloquent comment on the extent of the recent growth of interest in the topic in the midto late 1980s; and perhaps also on the continuing failure of mainstream geography to dirty its hands with applied issues!