Wants vs. Needs

“Lose 10 pounds in 5 minutes!”

This sign outside a Chicago lingerie retailer is making the universally compelling promise of rapid weight loss…minus the pills, treadmills, sweat, grapefruit or South Beach. The “magic bullet” that’s sure to drive their sales of Spanx-like body shapers.

As signs go, this one is right up there with “Free.” The steady stream of curious, yearning customers entering the store is a testament to human nature. And, despite knowing the product may just help them look a bit thinner they’re still filled with hope; quite a few customers leave the store happily clutching their new purchase.

Consumers may need to lose weight but what they want is to do so instantly with no work involved.

There’s a holy grail in every category, how close does your brand get to delighting consumers with what they want vs. just satisfying what they need?

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