The New Consumer Is Multidimensional and Traditional Segmentation Can’t Keep Up

Marketers have always loved putting consumers in boxes. Gen Z here. Millennials there. Low-income on this side. Aspirational on that side. It is simple, predictable, and honestly, convenient. 

But today’s consumer? Oh, they broke out of the box, folded it into a ring light tripod, and used it to film TikToks. 

The Ghanaian and African consumer has evolved so fast that demographic segmentation can barely recognize them anymore. You can’t use age, income, or location alone to explain why a 19-year-old is obsessed with heritage alcohol, why a 45-year-old is doing TikTok challenges, or why someone earning GHS 2,800 refuses to buy "cheap-looking" brands. 

Consumers are no longer categories. They are mindsets, moods, moments, and multi-layered identities. 

And brands that still depend on old-school segmentation are playing with yesterday’s rulebook in today’s game. 

Where Traditional Segmentation Gets It Wrong
 

The old model assumes people behave the same every day. But the modern consumer shapeshifts: 

A 22-year-old who saves aggressively on weekdays will splurge on premium cocktails on Friday night. 

A mother who prefers TV3 news still binge-watches TikTok cooking hacks for recipes. 

A student who buys Indomie multipacks will happily buy a premium limited-edition flavour because “it’s giving aesthetics.” 

Demographics may describe people but they don’t define them. 

Meet the Multidimensional Consumer 

Today’s consumer operates on multiple layers:
 

1. Identity

A mix of cultural roots, global influences, personal values, and online communities. Someone can love kenkey, speak Gen Z slang, wear Ankara, and binge K-dramas. That’s normal now. 

2. Mindset 

People choose based on how they feel, not who they are. Calm mindset = tea and soft music Adventurous mindset = “let’s try something different” vibe 

3. Context 

• Behaviours shift depending on: 

• Payday 

• Location (Accra vs hometown) 

• Social setting 

• Emotional needs 

• Who is watching  
  
  

This is why the same person can buy budget biscuits alone but premium chocolates when gifting. 

4. Digital Influence 

Algorithms shape preferences faster than culture gatekeepers ever did. TikTok can make a product trend in Ghana faster than a billboard campaign. 

Moments, Not Markets 

The modern consumer doesn’t belong to a market; they belong to a moment. 

Brands must understand when people switch between being: 

• practical vs indulgent 

• health-conscious vs carefree 

• introverted vs social 

• local vibed vs global vibed 
  
  

It’s fluid, unpredictable, and honestly, exciting for marketers who are paying attention. 

The New Hybrid Ghanaian Consumer 

If you look closely, you’ll notice: 

• They are digital-first but still emotionally attached to traditional media. 

• They want value but also want brands that look and feel premium. 

• They love authenticity but also chase trends. 

• They care deeply about culture but express it in modern, global ways. 

• This is the consumer brands need to design for not the outdated pictures in our segmentation decks. 

So, What Should Brands Do? 

If traditional segmentation is outdated, what’s next?
 

1. Mindset-Based Targeting: What mood is the consumer in? What emotional need are they solving? 

2. Behaviour Clusters: Track actions, not assumptions. 

3. Cultural Segmentation: What cultural forces influence the choice, cuisine, music, community, identity? 

4. Occasion-Led Strategy: People consume differently on Friday nights vs Sunday afternoons. Design for the moment. 

5. Community Targeting: From TikTok subcultures to football fandoms, communities shape behaviour. 

Tibule POV 

As an agency, we have seen one clear truth: Creativity wins when it speaks to multiple layers of the consumer, not a single demographic label. 

This is why the tiny, well-considered actions matter. The micro decisions about tone, visuals, culture, and platform relevance - those are the compounding tailwinds that build brand love today. 

Modern consumers have changed. They have already moved on. They are dynamic. Multifaceted. Complex. Beautifully unpredictable. 

It’s brands that must catch up.