The “Normal Distribution” shows up in almost every area of life.

That hypnotic image above shows the “normal distribution” in real life. Drop enough balls, and most end up in the middle. A few land on the edges.

Marketing analysis

This happens with your customers too.
Most will fit your main avatar. Some will be far off — cheaper, richer, older, younger. The spread is predictable.

Why it works

• The majority cluster around one “average” customer persona
• Outliers are smaller in number but can teach valuable insights
• Focus on the 68%, but don’t ignore the edges
• Small tweaks can shift the curve in your favor

Examples

• Apple builds for the middle of its market but sells luxury upgrades to the right tail
• Walmart owns the left tail with discount-driven shoppers
• Netflix curates for the average viewer yet invests in niche genres for the extremes
• Nike markets broadly but tailors specific products for elite athletes and casual wearers alike