Part 2: Select two advertisements. Describe the needs identified by Abraham Maslow that each ad addresses. What consumer segment is being targeted?
Part 2: Select two advertisements. Describe the needs identified by Abraham Maslow that each ad addresses. What consumer segment is being targeted?
Introduction
The need theory developed by Abraham Maslow is an approach to understanding human motivation. Maslow’s theory can be used to explain why the ads are chosen.
1. The first ad is for a car.
The first ad is for a car.
The needs are: safety, security, love, esteem and self-actualization. This ad targets young people who care about their appearance and want to show off how much money they have.
The consumer segment targeted by this ad is young people who want to put themselves on top of the social ladder by buying expensive items such as cars or houses (i.e., status symbols).
2. The second ad is from a cell phone provider.
The second advertisement is from a cell phone provider. It addresses the need for belonging, which can be defined as “the desire to feel part of a community or group.” This ad shows a young person with friends and a phone. The consumer segment being targeted by this ad is young people who are looking for opportunities to belong, especially when it comes to making new friends or having fun together.
3. The third ad is from an athletic wear manufacturer.
The third ad is from an athletic wear manufacturer.
The ad addresses the need for esteem. It targets a young, active and healthy consumer segment that values performance and comfort in their sports clothing.
4. The fourth ad is from a coffee brand.
This ad is for a coffee brand. It shows a woman working at her desk and then taking a break to drink some cold brew coffee. The ad indicates that the cold brew is good for concentration, relaxation and energy.
The ads in this section were designed to appeal directly to consumer needs identified by Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs theory of personality development: physiological needs (for example, food), safety/security needs (for example, shelter), social needs (for example, friendship) and self-actualization needs (such as creativity).
5. The fifth ad is from an energy drink manufacturer.
The fifth ad is from an energy drink manufacturer.
This ad appeals to people who need a boost of energy, such as athletes or college students who have been studying late into the night. Energy drinks are often used by people who work long hours and need something that will give them an extra boost of energy for their day or night’s activities.
Abraham Maslow’s needs theory can be used to explain why the ads are chosen.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory that describes human needs in order to explain behavior. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs includes:
Physiological (physical) needs
Safety/Security (feelings of safety, comfort, and well-being)
Social (belonging and love) * Love/Belonging * Esteem/Self-esteem
Conclusion
Many marketing experts believe that the best way to get your message across is through the use of an ad. But what if you don’t have one? In this lesson, we’ll learn about how advertising works and how it can be used in order to reach specific consumer segments. We’ll also discuss some different theories about why certain ads are chosen over others based on what they address–and why they might not work as well as hoped!