Brand Appeal: Consumer Needs Versus Wants

Had a conversation with one of our clients the other day about needs vs. wants as a driver for product development. He's facing resistance from folks within the organization still focused on satisfying "functional" product/service needs. But fulfilling needs is not the end game.

"Needs" is a category-based concept. People need detergent, need new sneakers, need a new car. But they buy brands based on wants. Based on how these brands make them feel, and reflect positively upon them in your presence. It's why they choose Tide because they want to feel like they're doing the best for their kids, buy Nike because they want to be like Mike, buy a Mini because they want the status and prestige of affordable cool.

But to identity wants, you need to be rooted in your consumers world. To understand their motivations and desires. Beyond their stated needs, which won't move you beyond the status quo. And then you need to align this understanding with what makes your brand different and special.

Cater to needs, and you'll quickly be displaced. Appeal to wants and desires, and be the only one to be able to deliver your unique bundle of benefits, and you'll insure your relevance, differentiation and connection.

A great brand starts with passion

We had internal Discovery Sessions with a client this week – from senior leadership, to team leaders across Marketing, Sales, Finance, Product Development and IT, to employees who have worked in the organization for twenty years and those who've yet to celebrate their first anniversary. Across the board, they're passionate about what they do and the contributions they make to the world.

This organization, as successful as they already are (though still facing big challenges), will continue to be leaders in their space. Because they're relentless in their pursuit to be more than they are today – genuinely committed to raising their game. They also display other wonderful traits – they have open minds, they don't pretend to have all the answers, they are genuinely desiring of our insights and ideas, they want to be pushed. But no one will push them harder than they do themselves.

Think of your consumer as another healthcare channel

No longer do you sell your healthcare services through the traditional channels. Your consumers have not only begun to direct marketing messages, they are also delivering those messages. Which means they have become a part of the Channel. 

So healthcare marketers need to learn how to utilize this new channel opportunity. The tactics are going to be different than for traditional channels, but the potential benefits are tremendous in terms of:

• spreading the word 

• relevance of the messenger

• credibility of another consumer 

• believability

Getting a handle on a changing world

Like a 40 mile an hour wind at our backs, the world is constantly changing. How can you get a handle on all these changes, and how do you discern which ones are important and which are just passing fads. Consider an in-house futurist.

As the New York Times recently advertised on their website for a Futurist for its R&D group, the ideal candidate:

• is highly imaginative and well informed about the social and technology trends affecting creation, distribution and consumption of all forms of media now and in the future

• has an innate curiosity and a passion for ideas; with a facility for market research data and who can use it to vividly paint a picture of how the world around us is evolving

Every day, we get sucked into busy-ness - putting out fires, creating reports, attending meetings, answering emails. Which doesn't leave much time for thinking about what really matters - navigating the future. Someone needs to be able to look hard into the distance while others are watching for what's coming around the next corner.

Beyond the traits mentioned by the NY Times, your futurist:

• should voraciously read not just industry and trade pubs, but also general business news - because big insights and ideas typically come from outside your industry

• must listen for "the buzz", and keep abreast of influential thinkers, bloggers and publications

• must understand and empathize with end-users - their feelings, concerns, motivations and practices

• should be empowered to serve as company protagonist - challenging conventional wisdom and practices, pushing you to think beyond the usual to reach for the extraordinary. 

Last but not least, your futurist will help you provide a critical and differentiating "right-brain" perspective in a left-brain dominant world.