Views from the Hills by R. E. Stevens, GENESIS II (The Second Beginning) E-Mail views@aol.com
Needs vs. Desires Research

It has been my experience that when we talk about exploring new opportunities, we seem to focus immediately on the needs of the consumer.  I agree that if we can identify a real consumer need and can develop a solution to that need, we will most likely have a successful product.

During the past couple of weeks I have been reviewing my experience with the exploration for new products and market introductions.  During this process I became aware that in my 40 years there were probably three brands that I was involved with that were aimed at consumer needs.  Those three were:  Crest, Boundry and Attends.  Procter & Gamble no longer makes Boundry and will probably sell off Attends, leaving only one survivor, Crest.

All the other brands that I was involved with seem to have been what I would call brands based on desires (what the consumer would like to have rather  what they really needed).  These brands included Tide, Ultra Tide, Tide with Bleach, Liquid Tide, No Phosphate Tide and more versions of perfume, colors, speckles and formulation changes than I care to remember.  I worked on Joy, Ivory, Dawn and Cascade along with Bridget and Cinch in the dishwashing detergents.  I worked on every brand Procter & Gamble had in the laundry, dish care and paper categories over the 40 years.

In almost all cases, our brand development was aimed at solving problems with our brands or delivering something the consumer would like as opposed to real need.  Things that make life simpler, easier or more enjoyable are seldom needs.

Did we really need softer and stronger paper towels, toilet tissue and facial tissues along with a different array of colors and designs?  How important is the perfume, color or speckles in a laundry detergent?  What is the consumer need for all the carton changes such as color, size, opening devices, handles, etc.?  It's not about needs but about building tie breakers, giving the consumer another reason to consider our brand.

Think about it, do we really need designer jeans, faster cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, designer tennis shoes, frozen foods, ready-to-eat meals, home computers, microwave ovens, cell phones, highly accurate watches, automatic dishwashers, etc.?  The list goes on.

I guess what I am really trying to say is that there are a lot more opportunities out there in the desires area than the needs area.  I think it is much harder to identify needs as opposed to desires.  Desires research is oh, so simple.  It is a matter of having the consumer "Dream the Dream."  It is like being available to answer your phone at any time.  Oops, we already have cell phones, sorry.  Or it could be that we have a way to tell who is calling before answering the phone.  Did it again, we already have caller ID.  Oh well, you know what I mean.  It's all about making things more convenient, easier, smaller, faster or enhancing the image of the user.



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