Customer Personas for VibeCheck

Persona 1: Emotionally Expressive Emma

Demographics:

• Age: 18-25 years old (approx. 35% of target market)
• Gender: 70% female, 30% male
• Income: $20,000 - $35,000 (students and early-career professionals)
• Education: 60% enrolled in college, 25% high school graduates, 15% pursuing vocational training
• Location: Urban areas in the U.S. (e.g., New York, Los Angeles, Chicago)
• Occupation: Part-time students or entry-level positions in retail, hospitality, or creative fields

Psychographics:

• Values and Beliefs: Strong emphasis on authenticity, mental health, and emotional well-being. They believe in the importance of genuine connections.
• Interests and Hobbies: Music, attending concerts, art, and social activism. They engage in activities that promote emotional expression and creativity.
• Lifestyle Choices: Prefers experiences over material goods, often shares personal stories online to connect with others.
• Personality Traits: Open-minded, empathetic, expressive, and socially conscious. They seek validation and support from their peers.
• Goals and Aspirations: To build a supportive community that allows for emotional expression and to be recognized for their individuality.

Behavioral Patterns:

• Purchasing Habits: Frequent online shopper, prefers platforms that align with their values, willing to pay for experiences.
• Brand Preferences: Favor brands that promote authenticity and social responsibility (e.g., eco-friendly products).
• Technology Usage: Heavy users of social media (4-6 hours/day), primarily on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
• Media Consumption: Engages with music playlists and podcasts related to mental health and emotional well-being.
• Decision-Making Process: Influenced by peer recommendations and emotional resonance with brands.

Pain Points:

• Key Challenges: Struggles with mental health due to social media pressures; desires a platform that supports emotional expression without judgment.
• Unmet Needs: Lack of platforms that combine emotional support with social interaction, particularly in a music context.
• Current Solutions Limitations: Existing platforms feel superficial and do not cater to their need for authenticity.
• Barriers to Adoption: Skepticism towards new platforms due to past negative experiences with social media.

Goals and Needs:

• Primary Objectives: Find a safe space to express emotions and connect with like-minded individuals.
• Secondary Objectives: Share music that resonates with their emotional states.
• Functional Needs: Features that allow for sharing music playlists tied to feelings.
• Emotional Needs: Validation and support from peers.
• Social Needs: Desire for community engagement and shared experiences.

Day in the Life:

Emma starts her day by checking her social media to see how her friends are feeling. She posts a mood update on VibeCheck, sharing a song that reflects her current emotions. Throughout the day, she engages with her friends’ posts, offering support and encouragement. In the evening, she attends a local concert, sharing her experience and emotions on the app.

Key Quotes:

“I just want a space where I can be real about how I’m feeling, without all the filters.”

Willingness to Pay:

Emma would be willing to pay up to $5/month for premium features that help express her emotions more effectively, such as personalized mood analytics.

Persona 2: Social Savvy Sam

Demographics:

• Age: 16-22 years old (approx. 30% of target market)
• Gender: 50% male, 50% female
• Income: $15,000 - $30,000 (mostly part-time jobs)
• Education: 80% in high school, 20% in college
• Location: Suburban areas across the U.S.
• Occupation: Part-time jobs (e.g., retail, fast food, internships)

Psychographics:

• Values and Beliefs: Values creativity, self-expression, and diversity. Believes in the power of music to convey emotions.
• Interests and Hobbies: Enjoys music, video games, and social media challenges. Participates in school events and community projects.
• Lifestyle Choices: Seeks fun and engaging experiences, often shares creative content online.
• Personality Traits: Outgoing, playful, and adventurous, loves trying new trends.
• Goals and Aspirations: Aims to become a social media influencer or pursue a career in entertainment.

Behavioral Patterns:

• Purchasing Habits: Impulsive buyer, favors brands that are fun and trendy. Engages in frequent online shopping.
• Brand Preferences: Attracted to brands endorsed by influencers, particularly in fashion and music.
• Technology Usage: Active on multiple platforms (5+ hours/day), with a focus on TikTok and Instagram.
• Media Consumption: Follows trends on TikTok, listens to playlists on Spotify.
• Decision-Making Process: Influenced by viral trends and what peers are sharing.

Pain Points:

• Key Challenges: Feels pressure to constantly create engaging content; sometimes overwhelmed by the need for validation.
• Unmet Needs: Desire for a platform that allows spontaneous expression without the pressure of perfection.
• Current Solutions Limitations: Existing platforms focus too much on curated content and aesthetics.
• Barriers to Adoption: Concerns about privacy and data security on new platforms.

Goals and Needs:

• Primary Objectives: To express creativity and connect with peers in a fun way.
• Secondary Objectives: Share music that reflects their personality and experiences.
• Functional Needs: Tools for creating engaging content easily.
• Emotional Needs: Connection and engagement with peers.
• Social Needs: Desire for interaction and recognition within a community.

Day in the Life:

Sam wakes up to check notifications from VibeCheck, responding to friends’ mood updates and sharing a funny video. After school, he creates and shares a fun playlist for a weekend party. He spends the evening scrolling through content on TikTok, looking for inspiration.

Key Quotes:

“I want to share my vibe without worrying about how it looks—just the real me.”

Willingness to Pay:

Sam may be willing to pay around $3/month for unique music features or exclusive access to challenges that enhance his user experience.

Persona Prioritization

Market Size

• Emma: Represents a significant portion of Gen Z, estimated at 300 million globally.
• Sam: Also represents a large segment, with similar demographic estimates.

Revenue Potential

• Emma: Potential revenue of $750 million if VibeCheck captures 5% of her segment.
• Sam: Similar potential revenue of $750 million through engagement and advertising.

Acquisition Cost

• Emma: Average acquisition cost around $10, reflecting targeted social media ads.
• Sam: Slightly lower acquisition cost due to high engagement on existing platforms, estimated at $7.

Growth Trajectory

• Both personas show strong growth potential as engagement with emotional expression and music integration continues to rise, particularly among youth.

Implications for Product Development

Feature Priorities:

• Emotional analytics tools for tracking moods and music preferences.
• User-friendly interface for sharing music playlists easily.
• Community engagement features like group challenges and shared playlists.

UX/UI Considerations:

• A vibrant, expressive design that encourages creativity and self-expression.
• Simple navigation to make sharing emotions and music intuitive.

Marketing Message Recommendations:

• Emphasize authenticity and emotional connection in marketing materials.
• Highlight music integration as a key unique value proposition.

Distribution Channel Strategies:

• Focus on social media platforms popular with Gen Z for marketing and user acquisition.
• Consider partnerships with music streaming services to broaden reach and functionality.

Customer Support Requirements:

• Provide resources for emotional well-being support.
• Engage users through community forums to foster a sense of belonging.

Research Sources Used

1. Statista: Global Social Media Market Report - Statista
2. Nielsen: Gen Z Consumer Behavior - Nielsen
3. Deloitte: Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025 - Deloitte
4. McKinsey: Gen Z Mental Health and Social Media - McKinsey

These sources provided essential insights into the demographics, psychographics, and behavioral patterns of the target market, as well as current trends in emotional well-being and social media engagement among Gen Z.