A
reader model is the term used for the
hypothetical average person who is the
target audience for a product. A reader model can be made from the average behaviour of many product users by
datamining things like
loyalty cards. Based on data collected from datamining an 'ordinary individual' (
everyman) can be constructed (modeled) to develop the best strategy for selling to
consumers. Reader models are used by
corporations to direct consumer behaviour to their products.
Marketing,
advertising, and
product placement use reader models as a central part of their planning and source the reader model by using
focus groups. In plain language a reader model is used by corporations to predict who will buy the
better mousetrap. The 'everyman' is used by commercial musicians, writers, and the movie industry trying to make money from a product that will appeal to a mass audience. These industries use the reader model to try to gauge and predict the consumer market in an effort to create and profit from a
hit single,
best seller, or a
box office hit movie. A well-known example is the success of
Jaws (novel), the
Jaws (film), and the theme music
Jaws (soundtrack).