Blog Four: You Can't Always Get What You Want, But...You Get What You Need

One of the things I like the most about going to Saint Michael's is the Liberal Studies Curriculum that we follow. With this, we are required to not only take courses in our major, but also to take foundation courses in each major subject area here at the college, for instance English, History, Science, Math, and Art, but also Religion, Language, and Philosophy.

As a First-Year student (what freshmen are referred to at Saint Mike's) I took a foundation course in Philosophy cleverly titled Introduction to Philosophy, and while I don't remember much from this class (It's been almost 3 years!) I do remember learning about a concept called The Hierarchy of Needs Theory by Abraham Maslow.

In taking classes within this Liberal Studies Curriculum, I have found that a lot of times my classes overlap and I learn about something I have already learned in another class, much like what happened last week. Not only did our Marketing textbook-and exam that followed, cover this theory relating it to marketing, but my Management textbook covered it also relating it to motivation. It was definitely a deja-vu moment that allowed me to connect the dots and understand this theory more deeply.

This theory, published by psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943, states that there are five different types of human needs. These needs are arranged in a hierarchy, so that once one need is satisfied, another one can be met, much like going up a staircase- you can't reach the second step without going up the first to begin with.

So what are these needs and how do they relate to marketing?

As we have already learned, Marketing seeks to Identify the needs of consumers, and to fulfill those needs. Maslow organizes these 5 basic human needs into categories- physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization.

Physiological Needs- the most basic needs to be met by consumers which include food, water, air, clothing and shelter.

If you are driving down the street and are hungry, you may see this sign and recognize you need to fulfill your hunger and stop at McDonald's for some food.

Safety Needs-make up protection, security, and freedom from harms way. 

Companies that provide homes with security alarms fulfill these homeowner's safety needs.

Social Needs- include feelings such as affection, love, belonging, and friendship.

Online Dating companies that help others find love are attempting to fulfill ones social needs.

Personal/Esteem Needs- bring need for achievement, prestige, status, and respect. 

Luxury cars bring the feeling of prestige.

Self-Actualization Needs- the highest level of needs and also the hardest needs to fulfill, this category achieves the feeling of self-fulfillment once one has met every other need.

Ads such as this U.S. Army recruitment poster that invite one to "be all you can be" suggest to satisfy ones self-fulfillment needs. 

As a college student on a budget I can completely relate to Maslow's hierarchy of needs while I am shopping. I focus my buying on items like food and gas which are necessities to fulfill my physiological needs while items which satisfy esteem or self-actualization needs are put on hold. However my parents, who already own a home, have found love, and own nice cars, may be looking to fulfill their self-actualization needs at this stage in their lives. As we know in Marketing, it is all about targeting the right person at the right time!