BIC Segmentation Case Study
The Challenge
With an 80 year heritage of creating simple, affordable products used daily by millions, BIC wanted to understand how the COVID 19 pandemic was reshaping behaviour, attitudes and psychological needs. As part of its corporate social responsibility programme, BIC sought to explore the emotional and psychosocial impact of the pandemic on creativity, education and workplace behaviours.
The challenge was to uncover how these shifts were playing out across three culturally distinct markets Brazil, France and the United States and to translate this understanding into meaningful, customer-centred action.
Research Objectives
The primary objective was to understand how COVID-19 had influenced psychological states, behaviours and motivations related to creativity, learning and working environments. BIC wanted to identify how people across different cultures were adapting to new routines at home, in education and at work, and how these changes affected their relationship with stationery and creative tools.
A further objective was to segment audiences based on psychological and behavioural differences, enabling BIC to better understand varied needs across markets and identify opportunities to provide relevant, supportive interventions during and beyond the pandemic.
Research Approach
Vision One designed a robust quantitative research programme using three bespoke online surveys, each focused on one of the core pillars: creativity, education and workplace. The surveys incorporated established psychological frameworks, including Social Values, OCEAN personality traits and Creative Thinking models, to capture both behavioural and emotional dimensions.
Fieldwork was conducted across Brazil, France and the United States, with samples structured to reflect diverse audiences within each market. This approach allowed for cross-cultural comparison while maintaining depth in psychological insight and behavioural understanding.
Findings
Analysis applied a segmentation lens grounded in psychological modelling, revealing clear differences in how creativity, learning and working were experienced across cultures and contexts.
The research highlighted how emotional states, values and personality traits influenced engagement with stationery in home, school and workplace settings. It uncovered distinct psychological needs emerging from pandemic driven disruption, from emotional reassurance to structure, expression and productivity support.
Importantly, the findings demonstrated that stationery played a meaningful role beyond function, acting as a tool for control, creativity and emotional resilience during periods of uncertainty.
Action & Recommendations
The insights provided BIC with a clear framework for action, enabling the brand to support customers more meaningfully across home, education and workplace environments.
Recommendations focused on helping people overcome psychological barriers created by COVID-19, reinforcing creativity, focus and emotional well-being. The research informed how BIC could align product communication, innovation and CSR initiatives with real human needs, ensuring relevance across markets while remaining true to its mission of accessible, purposeful design.
