Pilot Project with Environics Analytics for Geodemographic Segmentation Data

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada intends to begin a pilot project of less than a year with Environics Analytics in order to gather geodemographic segmentation data about Canadians. This arrangement will allow the FCAC to get more value out of existing and forthcoming research by providing crucial details about population segments of interest.

Proprietary software from Environics Analytics includes the following features:

PRIZM5

• PRIZM5 classifies each of Canada’s approximately 800,000 six-digit postal codes into 68 unique lifestyle types that describe Canadians’ demographics, behaviours and urbanity context (from urban to rural in several classes).
• This database provides an understanding of the dominant lifestyle types who use certain government services, or have the characteristics that define a target population for a program or communication exercise.
• PRIZM also acts as a data integrator by using the segment assignment across different databases to bring many sources of information together (including proprietary government administrative or survey data) to form a common view of different populations of interest.

Why it is unique:

• Only PRIZM5 explicitly includes a block of 96 analytical support hours to coach, guide or complete analytical projects on the client’s behalf. These support hours are used to ensure the engagement with Environics Analytics yields the greatest benefit for clients.
• PRIZM5 has an assignment model that optimizes its geographic granularity in urban and rural areas. In urban areas, it is assigned at Canada Post’s six-digit postal code; in rural areas (postal codes with a ‘0’ as the second digit), PRIZM uses the census dissemination area which is smaller geographically. This is done seamlessly within PRIZM5’s coding approach to ensure the best assignment of urban vs. rural Canadians is achieved. Other segmentation systems tend to use one or the other approach which compromises specificity in either urban or rural Canada.

PRIZM5 QC

• PRIZM5 QC provides a unique classification of Quebec lifestyles (58 of them) distinctly from PRIZM5. The national PRIZM5 system contains 17 francophone segments which is useful in the context of the entire country, but where a more nuanced understanding of Quebec is required, PRIZM5 QC captures the multitude of lifestyles present.
• Environics Analytics’ approach allows the two systems to link together because the 40+ francophone segments in PRIZM5 QC nest into the 17 francophone segments in PRIZM5.

Why it is unique:

• PRIZM5 QC is the only geodemographic segmentation system created specifically for Quebec and links directly into a national segmentation system

Social Values/

Opticks Community Health (Canadian Community Health Survey)/

Opticks Asking Canadians (online services, social media, mobile use)/

Opticks Canadian Financial Monitor (financial holdings)

• These survey data sources are available as indicators for the 68 PRIZM lifestyle segments and as estimates for each six-digit postal code in Canada.
• They provide an understanding of thousands of specific behavioural propensities of populations segments in order to identify which populations exhibit the characteristics of interest, and/or to describe (create personas) of the target populations to more effectively reach them (messaging, media and locations of interest)

Why these are unique:

• All of these survey databases are only available as geodemographic estimates through Environics Analytics. Geodemographic estimates allow the data points to be appended to existing customer/administrative data so that propensities around demographics and behaviour can be identified and appropriate action taken.
• These databases provide great depth of behavioural knowledge in each of their specialty topic areas so that detailed communication strategies can be devised by understanding specific behavioural propensities. Other general lifestyle surveys are available as geodemographic estimates, but they are quite broad and do not provide the depth of knowledge around specific behaviours required to devise outreach strategies.

WealthScapes/LiquidAssets

• WealthScapes has detailed estimates of financial product holdings and dollars (penetration, aggregate dollars and average dollars per household) for every one of 56,000 Canadian neighbourhoods (census dissemination areas) including detailed categories of assets and debt (about 200 variables including different types of registered accounts, pensions, stocks, bonds, GICs, primary and secondary real estate, and more.
• LiquidAssets has asset estimates (exclusive of real estate) provided for several age and income cohorts within each of the 56,000 neighbourhoods. EA is the only provider of these estimates cross-tabulated by age and income cohorts.

Why these are unique:

• WealthScapes provides the most detailed accounting of Canadians’ financial positions at a neighbourhood level that add up to known control totals published by the Bank of Canada and others.
• LiquidAssets is the only product that provides estimates of financial position by age cohort of household maintainer and income cohort at the neighbourhood level.

Envision Online Analysis Tool

• Provides web-based access via standard web browsers to Environics Analytics databases – no software to install
• Designed for users making decisions around the targeting and locating of desirable population segments for selected messages
• Easy-to-understand reports, charts, maps are generated
• Interactive mapping using Esri (ArcGIS) mapping engine

Why this is unique:

• Only system using Esri mapping which aligns with the mapping systems most commonly used within government contexts

Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a Statement of Capabilities that it can meet the following minimum requirements:

• Attend meetings (in person or via conference call) with the Project Authority to discuss research purpose and objectives, design issues, research schedule and draft report, etc.;
• Provide client liaison in either official language;
• Provide a live review of data and its application for the FCAC;
• Provide technical support and training to FCAC staff;
• Ensure data is stored on Canadian servers and Canadian back-up servers. The database must be located and only accessible in Canada. It must also be physically independent from all other databases, directly or indirectly, that are located outside Canada;
• Ensure that all aspects of data processing be conducted and only accessible in Canada;
• Make an oral presentation of features and potential applications;
• Provide web-based access via standard web browsers to databases – no software to install;
• Provide database tools that are designed for researchers to make decisions around the targeting and locating of desirable population segments for selected messages;
• Provide database tools that can easily generate easy-to-understand reports, charts, and interactive maps;
• Provide database tools that can segment Canadian neighbourhoods into unique lifestyle types that describe Canadians’ demographics, behaviours and urbanity. This database should provide researchers with an understanding of dominant lifestyle types – such as media consumption patterns, internet usage, financial product holdings, different categories of assets and debts, access to banking services, etc…
• Provide database tools that can estimate detailed accounting of Canadians’ financial positions at a neighbourhood level that add up to known control totals published by the Bank of Canada and others; and
• Provide database tools that can estimate financial product holdings and dollars (penetration, aggregate dollars and average dollars per household) for Canadian neighbourhoods (by census dissemination areas) including categories of assets and debt, including different types of registered accounts, pensions, stocks, bonds, GICs, primary and secondary real estate, and more.