Good marketing is dependent on reliable research. Rarely is it possible to collect all of the data necessary for a successful marketing campaign in a single survey. As a result, marketers' challenge is to integrate data from multiple surveys or append data from different sources—the use of demographics in such efforts is a common denominator.

Although demographics are important, demographics alone are insufficient for marketing purposes because they do not provide consumer insights. In various surveys, VALS provides a validated method to link studies so that no research findings are lost; understanding the VALS segments expands to increase marketing usability.

The following example of Innovators illustrates the importance of data linkages across time and samples.

Understanding Innovators

VALS Insights

Innovators:

• Are novelty seeking
• Have the confidence to experiment, fail, and try again
• Want big-picture context
• Can be contrarians

Data from Client-Proprietary Studies

• 28% of Innovators consider themselves environmentalists (ecoAmerica, 2011)
• 28% of Innovators believe they will be more attractive to date if they have a car (SBI's Peak Car Study 2013)

Data from SBI's MacroMonitor: Macroeconomic Survey of US Households

Snapshot of Innovators' Financials

Total Financial Assets	$518K
Total Investable Assets	$395K
Retirement Assets	$307K
Total Liabilities	$155K
Net Worth	$755K

Financial Attitudes (Mostly Agree)

• I feel comfortable doing financial business on the internet (40%)
• There are better financial products than life insurance for saving or investing (46%)
• I resent executive pay at financial institutions I do business with (47%)

Data from Syndicated Research: VALS™/GfK MRI

Lifestyle

• Innovators frequently travel, dine out, and attend a wide variety of art, cultural, and sporting events
• Innovators favor participation in individual over team sports

Relationship with Advertising (Agree Completely)

• Much of advertising is way too annoying (30%)
• I like to look at advertising (2%)