Who is Mondeo Man?

Is he Essex man by another name, Mr Average, or Mr Travelling Salesman?

In this article CACI uses its ACORN* geodemographic classification to investigate the facts behind the myth that is… Mondeo Man!

One thing is for sure, Mondeo Man is a family man. Flourishing families, secure families, post-industrial families or struggling families, take your pick, all these groups are over represented in the Mondeo driver profile. 55% of Mondeo drivers come from these ACORN groups that make up 45% of UK households.

We’re going to focus on the first three groups that make up 40% of Mondeo drivers and 30% of UK households as these have more than just children in common.

The traits which this hardcore of Mondeo drivers display are the traits that mean Mondeo Man has become a more fashionable term for Mister Average. He’s got middle aged, middle income and middle of the road written all over his lifestyle. Family income is between £30,000 and £40,000 per annum.

Some of which will furnish the mortgage or re-mortgage, but they are prudent savers too and pensions and savings are important now that they are moving out of their 30s and into their 40s.

Savings they hope will secure the future of their family for years and generations to come but which will be frittered away once their children come of age and leave home. Still the Mondeo will be handy for moving them into University and that should free up one of the bedrooms in their 3+ bedroom house.

House and garden are important to Mondeo Man. He’s pretty keen on DIY and even more keen on gardening. There’s nothing he’ll enjoy more than a summer Sunday reading the Mail on Sunday in his garden, surveying his freshly mown lawn and waiting for his favourite program, possibly football, to come on Sky Digital.

Mondeo Man is not averse to hooking up a caravan to the back of his Mondeo for the family holiday. Subjecting his family to a mix of music whilst on the journey. Such tastes will include eighties, some classic driving music such as Meatloaf or Queen or perhaps some easy listening.

Mondeo Man is Mister Average. He is not necessarily Mr Travelling Salesman, he may well work in medicine, education or some form of middle management. Is he Essex man?

He lives all over the UK but is to be found in particularly high numbers and concentration in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex and North Kent. Ilford, Chatham, Chelmsford and Harlow make particularly good homes for Mondeo Man. But he is also found all over Northern Ireland and the outer edges of Manchester and Liverpool. If Cheshire is the Surrey of the North does this make Greater Manchester the Essex of the North?