Who are they? Where do they live?

About 3% of the population of the Netherlands aged between 13 and 80 belong to the C-level target audience. That equates to 497,000 individuals. The Dentsu CCS database defines the C-level target audience as: Function = Senior Management or Director or Senior Director or CEO/Owner. There are more men (76%) than women (24%). Interestingly, 60% of the group is in the 40-59 age range.

People in the C-level target audience are predominantly highly educated (79%). Four in ten are in the higher income bracket. They have an above-average interest in science and engineering, economic and financial matters, and gadgets and new technologies.

An interesting group of consumers, both business and personal

Unsurprisingly, people in this group place a high priority on their careers. About one in ten C-level target audience individuals are in the process of changing jobs. Around 6% say they are in the process of setting up their own business. Compared to the overall population of the study, they are more than three times more likely to do so (index 333). This means they in turn constitute a very interesting target group for companies operating in the fields of corporate finance, acquisitions, or office space, for example.

Despite the importance of their careers, there are plenty of interesting things happening in their private lives too. This could include buying or doing up a house. Both rank above average in the C-level target audience (indices 163 and 125 respectively). They are also true investors: the group scores index 310 on investing – in other words, there are over three times as many investors in this group than the average in the Netherlands. And look out for automotive brands: 16% of the C-level target audience is considering the purchase of a new car (index 217)!

What motivates people in the C-level target audience?

Social psychologist Schwartz’s circle of values defines 56 values that are recognised worldwide. These values form the basis of our motivations and show how we judge our own actions and those of others.

If we apply the Schwartz circle of values to the C-level target audience, we see outliers on things like:

• Benevolence: the willingness to help others, caring and striving for harmonious relationships.
• Tradition: the desire to maintain existing norms and customs.
• Achievement: the value of striving for success through one’s own efforts.
• Universalism: the appreciation of diversity, equality, and concern for the whole world.

Do they also have hobbies?

Yes indeed! The pastimes that stand out are motorcycling, sailing, and going to the theatre. The survey also shows that they enjoy playing sports (index 136). The C-level target audience is also very style and fashion conscious. They enjoy pampering themselves with luxury products and goods. In addition, a large proportion of those in the group regard themselves as style-conscious. Almost two-thirds of the C-level target audience often pay more for higher-quality products.

How are the FD and BNR doing in relation to this group?

The editorial content of the FD and BNR brands seamlessly matches the interests and needs of the C-level target audience. This is certainly the case from a professional perspective, but the Saturday magazine FD Persoonlijk also meets their style, fashion and luxury needs. The FD is read more than average among the members of this group: index 169. They certainly listen to BNR too: index 332 (in other words, the likelihood of capturing the C-level target audience through BNR is more than three times higher than that with the average for the Netherlands).

Want more insights on the C-level target audience? Download our infographic here!