Unusual targets: the left-handers

More or less one in 10 people in the world is left-handed. Pursuing a more inclusive perspective with respect to the definition of targets for the positioning of brands, products and services, it would therefore be worth considering this market segment in one’s brand strategy.

According to a study published this year by the APA [American Psychological Association], the presence of left-handed people in the population is estimated to be on average between 9.3% and 18.1%, the latter being the percentage reached if for “left-handed” is considered more broadly “who is not right-handed “. According to this analysis, however, it is possible to estimate that an overall 10.6% of the population is left-handed.

From a comparison created by Leftyfretz.com [and taken up by Statista] using data from different studies [although not always very up-to-date, given that the data relating to Europe date back to 2009] the ranking of countries with the greatest presence of left-handed people is shown: in UK they are more than 12% of the population.

It must be taken into account, however, that this presence can be negatively influenced by the perception – often still negative – that the cultural context reserves for non-right-handers. Suffice it to say that in many cultures the term “left-handed” is also a term associated with negative connotations: in English its negative meaning derives from being the opposite of “right” as a direction but also “right” as “correct”; in Italian “mancino” is synonymous with “treacherous, dishonest” as well as “sinister, threatening” ; in French “gauche” is also “clumsy”… and that in many other languages and cultures, so much so that in some country – such as China – even today there is a tendency to force left-handed people to learn to write with their right hand.

Despite this and the fact that even today it is not entirely clear whether this characteristic actually depends on genetics or other factors, left-handers remain a not insignificant group of the population to which specific characteristics can be associated, including:

they mainly use the right side of the brain, which is associated with 3D perception, holistic thinking and imagination, intuition and creativity, music and art
they have on average higher levels of intelligence
they enjoy remarkable multi-tasking skills and a natural advantage in some sports
they have a greater predisposition to allergies, migraines, insomnia and speech problems
they have on average a faster recovery in case of stroke
they are more prone to alcoholism
they adapt first to the view under water, but are less able to roll up their tongues

[Source: Leftyfretz.com]

In my wandering among the sources I discovered these and other details about being left-handed, all elements that have stimulated my interest and many of which are also particularly curious, perfect for promoting insights if left-handed people are considered as one of the targets to attract on a certain project.