Needs Vs. Wants - Blurring the Lines

- In life there are very few things that we need to get by: roof over our head, clothes on our back, food on the table, and companionship from loved ones and friends.

Everything else is want. Wanting to be connected 24/7 via a blackberry or cellphone. Wanting to have nicer surroundings, newer nicer clothes, and to subscribe to the latest fashions/trends.

Yup those are wants. Sometimes we have a hard time distinguishing between what we actually need vs. what we actually want. You can thank marketers for this.

Since the 1950's marketers have taken advantage of your attention, trust, and purchasing power and used (questionable) tactics to win your heart, soul, and wallet. Mainstream ads were very effective to depict what "normal" people do and what you should do to be normal.

The tobacco companies were notorious for promoting their cancer causing brands to insecure and vulnerable people so that they could be normal. And yet to this day, they still won't admit their product is addictive

The proliferation of the suburbs (thank you Don Mills, Ontario) is another great example of this. While people may have always yearned for more space, with access to urban amenities it took Levitt and Sons to consolidate all these wants for livability, and market them as a "modern need". It's no secret that many of our modern needs have huge social and environmental side effects that most do not fathom about, as marketing and consumer behaviour has traditionally focused on the "now"

It doesn't have to be that way anymore.

The moment you are able to discern between "nice to have" and "must have" you have created thinking style that threatens the core strength of a mass marketer. Marketers would rather you do things right (it's why big cities appear much more fashionable and culturally vibrant) than doing the right things (it's why Stephane Dion is having a hard time as Liberal opposition leader)

The 21st century belongs to the consumer and their decision making, largely due to arrogance in marketing. But this doesn't mean you should be selfish, or acquire materialistic items just for the short term high.

In a knowledge based society, where everything (except for your mind) can be outsourced, ideas and creativity will matter. These are things no marketer, person can take from you, and will provide a much more fulfilling life than any material good will ever.

New marketing isn't about materialism. Its about spreading ideas, creativity, celebrating diversity and creating relationships instead of a one night stand. It's why I am so passionate about marketing and communication when most have a disdain view on the profession. New marketing seeks to correct this. Breaking down traditional thinking barriers and fostering an interdisciplinary approach; whereby geography and psychology matter just as much as business and statistics. That is the essence of effective marketing: focusing around the customer instead of business cliques.

Lastly, new marketing is about making a clear distinction about needs and wants - call it ethical marketing if you will. While human beings will always have unlimited wants, and quite a few needs, the solution to those problems isn't necessarily to fill it with short lived materialistic goods.

When interview a plane crash survivor, they almost always tell you their lives have changed, mostly for the better. They usually cite new things: family being more important, having fun being more important, and not wasting your life on trivial matters that really don't mean much in then end.

For some it takes a near death experience to realize this. Others can grapple this notion much easier and earlier in life.

For you, I hope this post provides an inspiration into whats really important in your life. It's not too late to change your thinking.