Creative participation
Otherwise a few play a music instrument and have participated in some digital creativity – films or animations made on their home computer inspired by YouTube and TV programmes.
Lifestyle
With 84% on salaries less than £25K and 26% on less than £10K, these families are financially squeezed and stretched.
Facebook Families have low educational attainment, basic qualifications and therefore have lower job prospects or are employed in unskilled jobs. They live on a budget and many are claiming multiple benefits to make ends meet. Some may also be students living transient lives paying modest rents.
The best deals on food are sought at supermarkets such as Iceland, Aldi, Asda, Co-op or Spar, which need to be local and accessible by public transport as these families are unlikely to have cars.
Digital habits
This group, of all the segments, have amongst the highest use of the internet and email. They are the most likely to use Facebook every day amongst other social media and make extensive use of texting and free messaging. Many do not have a landline, so their mobile phones are their communication channel and lifeline. It will invariably be a smartphone, or whatever comes with a basic package or pay as you go service with some using the internet via a tablet rather than laptop or desktop computer. Some will access information through computers at a local library.
While their use of the internet is high, it may not be their primary source of information about cultural activities. They do use social media for finding out what’s happening locally and for some, chat about what they are doing, which may well include cultural activity. Otherwise they will be using online sources to access a wide range of entertainment from YouTube to music sharing sites for downloading music.
Influences
This group primarily read the ‘red tops’ – chiefly The Sun, Daily Mirror and a local free daily newspaper to provide their news and views.
As active social networkers they are heavily influenced by their friends and family, particularly if they feel there’s too much choice. In turn they will share their opinions and as part of a digital generation, will expect their promotional content to be involving, interactive and entertaining. Primarily they are big TV watchers and responsive to TV advertising, particularly with a strong emotional message.
For families with children they are subject to ‘pester power’ and messages which get filtered through them via schools and other community activities their children are involved with.
Community involvement
This group are least likely to feel that culture makes a difference to their area or benefits them, although there is a sense that they do feel it is important, perhaps for others who have the time, money, access or opportunity.
Nevertheless the arts and culture offer an attractive family activity and about one in five have done some volunteering in the last 12 months – mostly for sports and other sectors.
18% have volunteered in the last 12 months
Giving & volunteering
Despite being stretched, some do donate to heritage, museums and galleries and a few to the arts, particularly if it has impacts locally, amounts are mostly less than £20. Generally they feel giving to culture is a good thing, but have little means to do so.
Location
Facebook Families can be found in and around the edge of urban areas with more in the urban sprawl of the Midlands and North and fewer in the South West, East and Greater London. It can be hard for this group to access cultural activity from these areas, particularly if the public transport infrastructure is poor.
Living mostly in terraced or semi-detached houses, many (46%) are rented from the council or housing associations, with some having saved enough over the years to be eligible to buy their homes (45%).
Lifestage
The youngest of the segments overall, 81% are 26 – 50 years, 67% also have children in the household of varying ages – mostly between 5-11 years. The group includes some quite large or extended families with older and younger children as well as grandparents or other relatives.
29% are single, living alone and mostly in the older or younger age ranges. House shares are not common for this group and the older members tend to have lived in the same house for a long time, are well established and tied to their local community.
Living in places such as Sandwell and Skegness, Maidenhead and Rotherham
81% are 26 – 50 years
67% also have children in the household of varying ages – mostly between 5-11 years
Diversity in segment
Fairly homogenous in lifestyle and outlook, with families dominating, this group does include some younger and older singles who are equally financially squeezed – likely to be either students or unemployed. About a quarter have some sort of long-standing illness, disability or infirmity. Otherwise the ethnic diversity is characteristic of many suburban populations with established immigrant communities including Black Caribbean or African, Irish, Eastern European as well as South Asian families.
Best segment match
Arts Audiences Insight: Time-poor dreamers, Limited means, Nothing fancy
Mosaic 2014: Family Basics 69%, Transient Renters 24%