Article
Our ode to Ozzy: rethinking segmentation, one legend at a time
July 31, 2025
Ozzy Osbourne was many things to many people. He wrangled his way into our lives, sometimes as the Prince of Darkness, sometimes as a goofy family man. He was both a cautionary tale and a cult hero, teaching generations what to do (and what not to) in his own chaotic but magnetic way.
That reach extended into the corporate world too, financial services being no exception. You see, the Prince of Darkness had a lot in common with another former Prince, now King Charles. An unlikely pairing. But together, they’ve long been used to illustrate the limits of traditional segmentation.
Ozzy’s sad passing gives us a chance to revisit this as one of the many gifts he’s given us—brightening up one corporate strategy session at a time.
The Ozzy/King Charles analogy, explained
In financial services circles, the Ozzy/King Charles analogy has long been used to bring to life the need for more advanced, behavioural segmentation. Segmentation simply means grouping customers based on specific traits or “common characteristics”, to better understand and tailor for a specific part of the customer base.
Using traditional demographic characteristics, Ozzy and King Charles would fall into the same metaphorical bucket. Both born in the same year, British, married twice, fathers, property owners, and affluent. Nevertheless, it’s clear they are very different people, with vastly different lives. This is likely reflected in their attitudes towards their finances too. Their risk tolerance, financial goals and choices could be worlds apart.
Because, repeat after me: not every affluent, twice-married father in his seventies is riding a Crazy Train through life. Some wear crowns. Some wear eyeliner. Some are raising Jack Russells; others, hell. In financial services speak, some have high risk tolerance, some don’t. Some are savers, some are spenders. Some are do-ers, some are listeners… and so forth.
So how should we segment Ozzy?
Let’s play this out. Traditional segmentation would place him in a broad 'later life' category. He’d likely be nudged toward estate planning, cautious investment strategies, and light-touch communications about wealth transfer. On paper, it fits. In reality, it might be a miss.
A life-centric approach would start by asking: what is actually going on in Ozzy’s life?
Is he managing ill health?
Navigating intergenerational wealth decisions?
Coping with income becoming unpredictable?
It would ask not just “What’s his net worth?” but “What’s his mindset right now?”. And not just “What products does he hold?” but “What outcome is he trying to reach?”.
That’s exactly what we focus on at Life Moments. We help firms fuel segmentation with attitudinal and contextual data, using the lens of real-life events; those moments that shape people’s financial behaviours, needs, and decisions. Whether someone is starting university, separating from a partner, becoming a carer, or recovering from a financial shock, these life moments carry far more insight than age or location ever could.
This approach allows firms to:
Be proactive, not reactive, in people’s most critical moments
Design products and services that feel relevant in the moment
Communicate with empathy, not cold assumptions
Build trust through timing and intelligent targeting
And now, the regulatory backing
As the FCA pushes ahead with proposals like CP25/17 on Targeted Support, the expectation is clear: firms must be able to spot and respond to emerging risk before harm occurs. That can’t be done with demographic shortcuts alone.
To meet this bar and to truly deliver fair value, firms need richer, more dynamic ways of understanding people. Ones that reflect what’s actually happening in their lives. And to get there, we should talk about Ozzy a bit more in our meetings.
So, here’s to Ozzy- not only for his enduring legacy as a heavy metal legend, but also for being the most enjoyable reminder that if we want to build truly life-centric journeys, we need to start seeing customers for who they are, not just what they are.
