Agency Dictionary

target audience

nounPronunciation: /ˈtɑːr.ɡɪt ˈɔː.di.əns/

Brand & Marketing

What does “target audience” mean?

The specific group of people that a message, a product or a campaign is meant to reach, defined by what they have in common, such as needs, habits or interests.

Etymology

A compound of target and audience. Target is a diminutive of targe, "light shield", a word that reached English through Old French; the sense of a mark to aim at came later. Audience comes from Latin audientia, "a hearing", from audire, "to hear". Together they name the group of people a message or product is aimed at, defined by shared characteristics such as interests, habits or needs.

Usage note

A term of marketing and communication. Defining the target audience is one of the first steps in planning a campaign or designing a product.

Synonyms

target market
target group

Word family

target
audience
targeting

Usage examples

To generate or manipulate forms means to infuse graphics, language, and visuals with symbolic meanings that are capable of communicating a message or content to our target audience.
Design.0 - Beyond the Surface of Forms

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Design.0 - Beyond the Surface of FormsMay 10, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Consumernoun: An individual or group that acquires, purchases, or consumes physical or commercial goods and services for personal use. In marketing, consumers are studied for purchasing patterns and brand preferences.
pain pointnoun: A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
briefingnoun: A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
Accuracynoun: The degree of precision, correctness, and exactitude with which a message or action reaches its intended mark.
Captivatingadjective: Capable of attracting, holding, or enchanting interest and affection through irresistible charm or aesthetic power.
Carouselnoun: A multi-slide social media post format that allows users to swipe through a sequential series of images or cards.
Copywritingnoun: The professional activity of writing persuasive text and scripts for marketing, branding, and advertising campaigns.
CPMnoun: An acronym for cost per mille, representing the advertising cost of delivering one thousand audience impressions.
Differentiationnoun: The act or process of distinguishing between two or more items or establishing uniqueness.
Fictionalizeverb: To turn real events, characters, or brand narratives into imaginative storytelling formats. It allows storytellers and marketers to communicate deeper emotional truths through symbolic narratives.
Frequencynoun: The regular rate at which an event occurs or a message is transmitted over a designated period.

Also from these editions: terms

Equationnoun: A complex statement or problem involving balancing multiple interdependent factors, variables, or meanings.
Mazenoun: A complex network of interconnected paths, passages, or obstacles designed to puzzle and challenge navigation.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
vocationnoun: A strong innate inclination or sense of purpose toward a particular career, craft, or calling.
Synchronicitynoun: The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
Decompositionnoun: The natural biological or chemical process of decay, breakdown, or disintegration into constituent elements.
recipientnoun: The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
iconnoun: A simplified image that represents a thing by resembling it. In semiotics, a sign that signifies through likeness; in digital interfaces, a small picture that stands for an object or a function.
Stigmanoun: A mark of social disgrace, shame, or prejudice associated with a particular circumstance, trait, or behavior.
symbolismnoun: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, and the set of meanings that a form, an image or an object carries beyond its literal sense.
Desaturationnoun: The progressive loss or removal of chromatic intensity, rendering a color closer to a neutral gray.
Regenerativeadjective: Relating to or capable of renewing, restoring, or reforming biological vitality and structural equilibrium.