Capstone: Target Types
This post is part of a project documentation series starting with the post: What is Capstone? That post will give you a lot of context on this project and the series. Through these posts, I will be documenting the process of my Senior Year Capstone course.
A persona in marketing is a representation of a member/group of customers in the target audience. This will usually include traits, stage of life, culture, habits, etc… Personas help you internalize the ideal customer you’re trying to attract. These are good to develop at the beginning as that way the solution is being created with the right target in mind. I will be creating three different personas that will make up the target audience for my plant subscription brand.
The Millenial Plant Mom
This type of person loves all things plants. Their apartment is pretty much a jungle at this point. Most of the time you’ll hear them listening to Fleetwood Mac or Clairo. They have a very nurturing personality, but this person does not want kids yet. However, they consider themself a plant mom and a cat mom.
Characteristics/Traits
- They want more exotic plants that are unlike the more common ones they already have.
- They feel that life should be taken day by day and you should live in the moment.
- They care about the well-being of those around them, their mental health, and being self-aware.
- They are into activities such as yoga, photography, and thrifting.
- This type of person is an adult, married, but does not have kids — the newly married stage of life.
This type of person is in the majority group of plant buyers. Davies quoted, “According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the sale of seeds, flowers, and potted plants have increased since 2016, and the 2017 National Garden Survey found that five of the six million Americans who took up gardening in 2016 were between the ages of 18 to 34.” Plants have become very popular for people like Rachel. Davies said, “People like me — a millennial, living in a rental in an urban area, not ready for pets or kids (financially or otherwise) — are buying houseplants at a record pace.” Plants help to give people a feeling of responsibility, help with stress, give a lot of satisfaction when they are flourishing, and have many other appealing qualities to millennials.
Why more millennials are buying into ‘plant parenthood’
Confessions of a Millennial Plant Mom
The Busy Bee
This type of person is a busy student whose schedule is filled 24/7. They have many hobbies that come and go, but they are passionate, work hard, and do almost everything with excellence. However, they can be a little scatterbrained/forgetful.
Characteristics/Traits
- They want/need more organization in their life to keep them on track with daily activities.
- They feel defeated when they fail at something.
- They care about making an impact and finding something they can be passionate about/pursue.
- They are into activities such as music, drawing, cooking, weightlifting, coffee, and photography.
- They are in the young adulthood stage of life where they are trying to find their purpose, passions, and fulfillment.
Livabl says one of the main reasons people accidentally kill plants is “because of neglect.” When people are forgetful, a lot of plants can suffer. However, there are some plants that are more forgiving and can even help with forgetfulness. For example, Healthline said, “Additionally, a 2019 study showed that plants can lead to increased productivity, attentiveness, memory retention, and alertness. For those of us with ADHD or who are just forgetful in nature, this could actually be a mutually beneficial relationship.” The article mentions that plants such as Aloe Vera plants, snake plants, and succulents can all be good choices for those of us who are a little scatterbrained.
11 Low Maintenance Plants for the Forgetful Type
The 4 reasons your house plants keep dying
The Aesthetic Extrovert
This type of person just moved out into their own apartment. Since they have been working for a few years, their career is already going well and they are excited to start their journey of living alone in a big city. They are excited to find a way to bring their own style into the new space and make it feel modern and welcoming. This type is very consistent, hard-working, and has good taste aesthetically.
Characteristics/Traits
- They want/need comfort and new hobbies.
- They feel like they need to improve themselves as they are getting out of the young adulthood part of life.
- They care about having something that feels like their own and finding out what the next chapter of life is.
- They are into activities such as shopping, hiking, and binging Netflix shows.
- They are in the early to middle adulthood stage of life
Houseplants have so many benefits other than just being aesthetically pleasing. For example, Tilden said houseplants “Help[s] to diversify bacteria in our bodies to fight infections & allergies” and “Improves air quality by removing carbon dioxide & other toxins while providing extra oxygen” which has been researched by NASA. It has shown that in just 24 hours, houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxins.
