OUGD601 - Context of Practice 3 Maslow's hierarchy of needs

http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Safety

The second level includes safety needs, which are things that give us a sense of security in all aspects of our lives. They include health, family, a job and so on.

Love and Belonging

The third level of the hierarchy includes love and belonging needs. These are needs humans have related to relationships, family and friendships.

Esteem

The fourth level in the hierarchy is esteem needs, including self-esteem, confidence, respect of and by others, and personal achievement. Like the need for love and belonging, the need for esteem is very emotional and happens in both our conscious and subconscious minds.

Self-actualization

At the top of the hierarchy is the need for self-actualization, which refers to personal growth and realizing full human potential. It is this need that Maslow believed people are always striving to satisfy but few achieve. It is very subjective and highly personalized.

Notice as you travel up the hierarchy, each need becomes less essential for survival and more emotional. The goal for a brand marketer is to understand each level of needs for a target market and develop marketing communications and initiatives that clearly address those needs for consumers. As they travel up the hierarchy, marketing communications must create perceived needs in consumers’ minds. Communications must differentiate the product from competitors and position it as the only solution, the best choice for the consumer, and the brand the consumer needs. Of course, the majority of this need is perception-based, not survival-based.