The Science of Marketing

-------------------------------------------------

As for your question, it depends on how you are looking at it. The short answer is no, marketing does not create consumer needs, it simply responds to needs of consumers. Companies following the marketing concept will identify a need (opportunity) in the market and they will seek to satisfy the need in a way that is profitable. The consumer and his or her needs will remain the focus of all their efforts and companies will respond to these needs as they are perceived and noticed.

However, marketing may lead consumers to realize a need that might have previously gone unnoticed. Perhaps a need or want was not realized until that product or service came along. For example, nearly everyone feels they need a cell phone now, but this need is a recent trend. Ten years ago many of the same consumers that would now likely feel that they need a cell phone might have claimed that they had no real use for one. Sometimes making people aware of what they are missing can influence a future demand for a product.

Does Marketing Create need or Satisfy Need or manipulate need?

“The real journey of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust

The traditional concept of marketing was only about sales or meeting the “current needs” of a consumer

Example:

Mac Books or laptops are such a common commodity among students and even school kids irrespective of the fact that it is not really needed. Can’t they manage with a desktop at home?

But now day’s companies do more! They educate people and give them reason to buy their products and this is what people might call it “creation of needs” people purchase something when they need it, if they think they do not need the product they may not purchase it. How many people today in Pakistan need I-pod? How many people really need Mobile + Internet + Camera + TV all in one set? Can we call it marketers created their needs?

Looking at...