Question

Topic: Student Questions

Is It Possible For Marketers To Create Needs?

Posted by Anonymous on 1/15/2006 at 9:35 PM ET 250 Points
Hi,

I'm a 2nd year University Student currently doing a summer course on Consumer Behaviour.

Although this is a pretty straight forward question, I still would love to explore this question from the perspectives of the forumers here. Perhaps, I could gain better insights of what is really going on out in there.

It's explained that marketing only fulfils existing needs but there's a controversy that marketing also create needs. Would that refer to trend setting? Is marketing the only medium that is responsible of 'creating needs'? Or is the whole creating needs issue is just some biased argument?

Thank you for taking your precious time to read my question.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by wnelson on 1/15/2006 at 9:50 PM Member
    The term "creating need" has been popularly interpretted such that it includes when marketing realizes unfulfilled and unrealized needs. For instance, when the automobile came into existance, there was no need for automobiles. Right? A year before, you could ask 1000 people if they needed an automobile, they'd say "no." Well, right after they asked, "What is an automobile." So does that mean that the inventers of automobiles and their marketing gurus created need? No. Actually, there was need for transportation. Horses and buggies, bicycles, and walking fulfilled that need. The automobile refined the need to faster and more convenient transportation.

    More correctly, marketers bring to light unfulfilled and potentially unrealized needs and envision how new products and services and new features for existing products and services will satisfy those unfulfilled and unrealized needs. The result can appear as though the needs were created because in some cases, the needs are unrealized.

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted on 1/15/2006 at 10:04 PM Author
    https://www.marketingprofs.com/2/markfillneeds.asp

    I was scourging through the archives and found this article.

    Although unsubstantiated by any literature, I find this question challenging - Name a product that created a Need.

    From the 2 valuable responses by Wayde and Randell (thanks), I gathered that the all the human needs; innate or acquired had already existed and can only classified as fulfilled, unfulfilled or unfelt.

    I guess only if I can find a product that cannot be classified as mentioned, then this would be an one-sided argument.

    Benny

  • Posted by Carl Crawford on 1/16/2006 at 1:13 AM Member
    Welcome to KHE, as they normally do Randall (WMMA) and Wayde (wnelson) have given you some great answers to your question.

    I would just like to drop you a note to say "thanks" for your question. It is refreshing to see that not all students are looking for a quick fix and someone else to do there homework for them (as normally happens in the student section).

    I hope you stick around KHE and maybe even answer a few questions it is a great way to learn and get extra tid bits for exams (wink wink nudge nudge)

    Have a nice day

    Carl Crawford
    (2nd year student at the University of Otago)
    No points please
  • Posted on 1/17/2006 at 1:10 AM Author
    Thanks Carl,

    I am not sure if I could post another question because I have only 5 points left. So I just have to drop it here.

    As a 2nd year marketing student, I still have a few electives left to choose from. Well, it's tempting to just pick from the pool of 'tried and tested' units that many have attempted and aced it. Somehow, I find it personally not my style.

    I am not afraid to venture into other fields and pick up new skills but I have no idea of how relevant they will be to complement my marketing core. I could use some advice from fellow forumers from their experiences or observations on what are the skills lacking from the main core that can help one become better in tackling marketing issues (e.g demography, statistics?)

    I know it is not possible to be an all-rounder but I hope to pick up some fundementals now and then later on, venture deeper in the course my future studies.

    Thank you.
    Benny
  • Posted by Carl Crawford on 1/17/2006 at 6:28 AM Accepted
    First of all, you earn 5 points a day for just being a member a marketingprofs (so don't cancel your membership just yet!).

    Second of all I think, it really depends on what you want to do once you finish your degree. Do you want to work in advertising, consulting, big corporations, medium size, mom and pop shop, research, product development, branding etc etc?

    You need to do what is perform a self SWOT and find out what you are passionate about, then talk, talk with business people, friends, professors, and make sure you have a visit to your university's career guidance counsellor. There are a few ways you can look at it, you can go with what you know you are good at and get good marks but have a limited view of the world. Some people will hire you because of this. P

    Personally i wouldn't want to work for some one that thinks this way.

    Then there is the other way, you could try what you know are not your strongest subjects. You might have to work hard and not get as high grades but a smart HR person will look at how you have tried something you are as good at but you tried and did reasonably well. Which means that you can adapt to changes in the rapidly changing world of business.

    For me, I think like you. So have have done some computer science, web design, physics, stats, economics, accounting, consumer behavior, calculus, branding, channels and relationship management.

    But because i did that i have to spend an extra semester at uni (too much drinking and partying during first year caused me to fail a few papers :p).

    What you might want to do is learn a language, like Spanish (if you are in america) or chinese (if you are in asia pacific).

    If you like consumer behavior then you might try a few psychology papers. If you find you are more of an adverting guy, then take some art history or music.

    It is probably best to spared your self thin near the beginning and take as many different subjects as you can then pick the one you like best and study it further on.

    I started off doing a Energy management degree, but changed to marketing after I took mart 101.

    You have got to keep in mind that people wont really give a crap about what papers you took during university, you can always learn what you need while on the job. What counts is the fact that you were able to get a degree, that puts you above most 'ordinary" people (i dont want to sound arrogant) that dont have a degree.

    What you want to do is find something which people hate doing, then learn all you can about that area, become an expert in that area, the people will hire you to do the job.

    For instance Telemoxie is a cold calling expert, he does the job or calling companies and trying to sell people products. Not many people enjoy making cold calls (and no one like receiving them when they aren't relevant or when your about o take a dump, god i hate when they do that) but he does the job, he does it well and make a nice living off it.

    Currently i am looking to take a few design papers and may be a introduction to chinese. The reasons why?

    Well the design papers will help me evaluate advertising if i got to a adverting agency.

    If i am any good there a a few jobs for the combination marketing and design degree.

    There is also windows Vista, that is going to change the way software is made, and give GUI designers a big boost.

    And the last reason, well i like customizing my desktop, giving it cool icons and shapes.

    For chinese course, well in 20 years china will become more powerful and wealthy than the United States, it would be good to get a basic understanding now of the language so you can communicate with them.

    Plus I want to learn more about there culture, it seem very different from what I am used too. It helps me appreciate what I have got.

    Sorry for rambling, but I am in that kind of mood now.

    If you want to caht more, click on my name to get my email address.
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