Maslow and Branding

Remember back in your Psych 101 class when you learned about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs? Bet you never expected to see it again in the business world, but... ta da! Here it is. Personally I think a few are missing like freedom and control. But in general, we can easily see how strong brands relate back to the hierarchy. In the next couple posts, I'll walk through the expanded hierarchy (8 needs instead of 5) and discuss their relation to brand strategy.

Security
Right above survival (food, water, shelter) we find security and risk aversion. This is the "No one ever got fired for buying IBM" syndrome. There are people  everywhere who will only purchase products and services from companies that have proven themselves over time. They stuck with SBC when their more adventurous counterparts were fleeing to try one of the new competitive phone companies. They don't want to be held responsible for making a bad decision if the new company on the block doesn't pull through. Security and trust are tightly aligned; since this is such a fundamental human need, all brands need to earn trust. But incumbents have (usually) earned the right to differentiate themselves on risk aversion, especially in rapidly changing markets like high-tech.

Connection
Above risk aversion we find connection and belonging. Combine this fundamental need with the fact that our society has become extremely fragmented, and you've got (IMO) the primary fueling factor for the explosion of social technologies like blogs, wikis and forums. We no longer stay in the same job for 50 years; we participate in fewer local activities; we do less and less as families and more as individuals (for more on this subject, check out Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam). We're seeing this era of fragmentation come to a close, and the locus of connection is reforming on two very different levels: the physical world where brands like Starbuck's are providing modern tribal gathering spots, and the virtual world where like-minded people can connect based on affinity instead of geography (like Slashdot.)

As with trust, all brands can work on facilitating a sense of connection through blogs and forums. But newer brands that are plugged into the grassroots economy are making 'connection' a foundational differentiator for their brands. I'll end up revisiting social technologies and grassroots economy after going though the entire hierarchy, because the virtual locus of connection is actually the point at which 4 different needs intersect.

I'll tackle the next two, Esteem and Cognitive, in the next post. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on security and connection? Do you have examples/counterexamples?

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[Susie Wyshak]

The most prevalent examples of Security are people who live "the devil I know" lives - both in terms of relationships and jobs. Sometimes it's easier to be miserable yet secure in knowing what to expect rather than pursuing what you want with an unknown outcome.

[Michael Wagner]

For years I have thought there was a kind of blindness among business people that defied my abiliity to address. It was the unfailing belief that a good product was enough. But it seemed obvious to me that it was not enough. And as quality initiatives became common this blindspot was all the more dangerous. A good product, even a great one, is not enough. Quality is table-stakes only in today's marketplace.

This posting rings true for me as well as your more recent one on esteem. The relevance of a product is defined by people. I use the term people and not customer on purpose. Maslow, or any other way you wish to get at the subject gives us some insight into what people call relevant and it is more than a pragmatic consideration. It is a also a deeply emotional and human consideration.

Thank you for adding to the conversation and provoking some some warm thoughts in this cold world. (I'm writing from Iowa, so I mean cold world literally - grin.)

[Dmitry Linkov]

Dear Jennifer,

There are a lot of talks around Maslow.
I won't judge if your version is true or not, I'll say it's interesting.

Do you plan to make an e-book out of this material?
Dmitry.

[csven]

"In the meantime, what are your thoughts on security and connection? Do you have examples/counterexamples?"

I'd propose that the the reformation occurring is not forming around two distinct areas as you seem to suggest ("two very different levels"). I've been amazed at how people with real world connections are using virtual spaces to maintain and/or enhance their physical connections. This is convergence. It can be something as simple as maintaining a blog of one's travels which allows everyone - from close family members to distant cousins - to "keep in touch", or it can be the use of virtual spaces (such as "Second Life" or even "World of Warcraft") to share in a more compelling form of interaction.

I know families that log into Second Life from various parts of the U.S. who together listen to music and watch movies and do other things while interacting with people outside their circle of friends and families. Their experience is no less real than, for example, the reaction viewers might have when a 911 tape is played on the evening news. It truly has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

So while my own interest (as a product developer) in virtual spaces was driven almost entirely by the 3D datasets and the convergence of real and virtual product (I'm capable of bridging that gap now btw), it's been the social aspect that has taken me by complete surprise.

Additionally, I believe that as more and more people become increasingly wired and involved in online social networking, what you describe as "two very different levels" will fuse. That should come as no surprise, the telephone is a device that creates a virtual connection; we're already primed.

[Richard Hoare]

As usual, another great post Jennifer.

I'm reading "The Culting of Brands" (Douglas Atkin) at the moment. From what I've read so far it ties in with what you say about connection and belonging.

[Weave]

You are so dead on the mark with this. It is a HUGE behavioral driver, far more than marketers typically realize.

Great post.