Urbane Villagers
Wealthy middle-aged urban sophisticates
Located in Canada's largest cities, Urbane Villagers is a prosperous world of stately homes and high-end cars, charity auctions and golf club memberships. The nation's second wealthiest cluster, it's characterized by married couples with university degrees and university-aged children, and it includes a significant percentage of European and Asian immigrants. With their hefty salaries - average household incomes top $166,000 - Urbane Villagers members enjoy the trappings of wealth: designer clothes, vacation cottages and frequent trips abroad. But these Canadians also tend to be involved in their communities, the active and philanthropic members of cultural, political and environmental groups.
Wealthy $166,716
Middle-Aged
Ethnic Presence: Low
Slightly younger and less affluent than Canada's top-ranked lifestyle, Urbane Villagers residents are the greatest contributors to RRSPs and second only to the wealthiest cluster in savings. They are a bit more style-conscious and less formal in their consumption patterns. They're more likely to shop at stores like Banana Republic and Club Monaco, the men more likely to wear cologne, the women more likely to wear less expensive jewelry. Although they are able to afford flying business and first class, they're not above flying economy as well. They rank near the top for buying books, personal computers and Australian wine, and are heavily involved in the arts, as both benefactors and patrons of museums, art galleries and orchestras.
How they think
Urbane Villagers is an affluent but not insular cluster. Residents are most distinguished by their commitment to Community Involvement; they are attached to their local environments as well as the people in their neighborhoods. This feeling of connectedness to place and people gives rise to a number of progressive values, including Global Ecological Consciousness, Ethical Consumerism, a belief in the Primacy of Environemtal Protection and a sense of Belonging to the Global Village. Urbane Villagers residents believe that diversity gives life richness: they strongly reject Ethnic Intolerance and their belief in the Importance of Spontaneity in Daily Life and Sensualism suggests that they are seeking rich new experiences. The threads of diversity, spontaneity and community connectedness weave together strongly; Urbane Villagers residents love the idea of vibrant street life championed by urban theorist Jane Jacobs. These Canadians will be attracted to green products and local business.
Attitudes
"I avoid using the products of companies with a poor environmental record"
"I've taken steps to ensure that I have sufficient money for retirement"
"I have great confidence in my creative abilities"
"I feel a personal responsibility to help those worse off than me"
"Capital punishment should not be reinstated in Canada"
Suburban Gentry
Well-off middle-aged suburban families
The Suburban Gentry segment is a magnet for Canada's up-and-coming business class: a prosperous suburban world of dual-income couples who have university degrees and large families, typically with teenaged children. Given its high percentage of managers and self-employed professionals, there's a decided business bent to this cluster. Suburban Gentry residents rank near the top for owning laptop computers and fax machines as well as for taking business trips and reading newspaper business sections. These consumers are big spenders who like to golf, go out to eat and drive luxury SUVs. Fitness conscious, they're much more likely than average Canadians to engage in walking, own a home gym and declare, "regular exercise is an important part of my life."
Upscale $111,254
Middle-Aged
Ethnic Presence: Low
Suburban Gentry represents Canada's version of suburban wealth. Residents have turned their sprawling new homes, into gadget-filled castles, complete with VCR/DVDs, cordless phones, wireless computers and video game systems. With its large families- -40 percent have at least two kids- -you'd expect to see this cluster score high for outdoor sports activities. While they golf, sail and ski, many of these households seem to prefer exercising their minds indoors, reading a lot of financial magazines, watching news and educational channels and spending a healthy amount of time online to browse books, check out vacation spots and track investments. To reward themselves for their hard work, they're three times as likely as the general population to buy an expensive car to complement their vehicle-centric lives.
How they think
Suburban Gentry residents have been successful at responding to changes in the marketplace, as their affluence and business success suggest. They express strong Adaptability to Complexity in Life and Need for Personal Achievement. But their inner lives are not so flexible: they are strong on Aimlessness and Anomie, they are the second strongest cluster on the fearful and exclusionary trend Ethnic Intolerance, and they depend on their Religiosity to impose a framework of order on a chaotic world. It is no accident that these Canadians live in the suburbs. Certainly the lower cost of living appeals to their Utilitarian Consumerism and belief in Saving on Principle but they are also more likely to live in homogenous communities in the suburbs, where they feel safer and more at home. As they continue their Search for Roots and strive for Community Involvement, members of Suburban Gentry will try to make their mental and social lives as pleasing to them as their bodies and their bankbooks.
Attitudes
"I like activities which push my mental and physical limits"
"Women are not fairly represented in business and politics"
"Exercise is an important part of my life"
"The future looks good for young people"
"I try to keep abreast of changes in fashion"
Grocery Stores
Video Rental
