Note: This is part 3 of a 10-part series that examines theories of behavioral motivation. Part 1 introduced David Rock’s SCARF model from “Your Brain at Work”, and part 2 went deeper into Maslow’s work that Bob Gilbreath uses as a backdrop for his “Marketing with Meaning” book.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (adapted from 'Motivation & Personality' ©1970) Source: Wikipedia Commons, ©2010, used with permission
If we want to connect meaningfully with people, we must…understand what [makes] them tick and how our marketing…can improve their lives.
- Bob Gilbreath
It’s time to fast-forward 40 years from Maslow to recent research on the brain. Over the next five posts, I’ll compare each letter of the SCARF acronym (Status Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness) to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Plus, I’ll examine the implications for marketers—including examples.
Let’s begin our comparison with the letter “S”.
Become a marketing status symbol
Status from the SCARF model—the brain’s desire to feel important (introduced in part 1)—is much like Maslow’s Esteem level.
Marketers target status through imagery and associations (for example, with luxury or the good life). Perks for preferred customers also appeal to the brain’s desire for status, and being perceived as the best brand in the minds of customers is the ultimate marketing goal for this level of motivation.
Marketers have a long tradition of creating campaigns that associate their products with high status, but new research helps to explain the effectiveness of this technique. The way that the brain processes status is more on par with physiological needs than Maslow hypothesized.
Experiments conducted by Naomi Eisenberger, a leading social neuroscience researcher for the University of California at Los Angeles, show that five different regions of the brain associated with physical pain are activated when subjects are made to feel less than someone else. Another study by researchers at Purdue University, in 2008, found individuals who suffer a drop in status experience feelings similar to physical pain and that just thinking about the incident could trigger a recurrence of this social pain long after the initial “injury.” (Just ask the 8.4 million Americans who’ve lost their jobs since the start of the recession.)
It turns out that people are strongly motivated to take action when they perceive that their status will increase, as well as to avoid losing status. What trends are taking place relative to status? And what are the implications for marketers?
Status is in the mind of the beholder
Status implication #1: Definitions of status are becoming more diffuse.
By definition, status has a reference point. This may be relative to others or to oneself. The brain of a particular consumer might define individual status on a number of levels (for example: career, accomplishments, a car, a preferred customer card or a supported charity). Status can also operate on a group level and even on the level of countries.
What’s more, the same consumer may be motivated by different definitions of status depending on the product or service being purchased (for example: the best, smartest purchase, “coolest,” most relevant to social viewpoints or the one that features an Olympic team).
Take-away: Seek to enhance status via prominent definitions among key markets that align with your brands.
Example: Nike raised the sense of status among a targeted group—and made running shoes its most-purchased category—in part, by creating the Nike+ program, partnering with Apple and its iPod, to deliver an engaging digital and personal brand experience that helps runners measure and improve their personal training performance. (Partnering with a complementary, high-profile brand is another effective strategy to raise perceptions of status.)
Don’t settle for the status quo
Status implication #2: There are now more players defining status.
As traditional media loses its grip and consumers educate themselves, it’s increasingly difficult for marketers to control associations of status. Social conversations, independent rating agencies, votes on websites, bloggers and even comments left by complete strangers are a few examples of sources where a brand might gain or lose status.
Take-away: Although marketers are no longer in control, you shouldn’t just watch as others define your brands; instead, guide conversations where opportunities exist.
Example: Marketers at computer-chip manufacturer, Intel, recognized that small groups of techies were becoming opinion leaders, so they promoted “Itopia”—a place on the company’s website for ongoing, geeky chats with its engineers. This added a deeper level of credibility and provided some influential computer nerds with a boost in status.
A real upgrade in status is worth a thousand pictures
Status implication #3: There are more ways than ever to cost-effectively advance customer outcomes.
Status is more important to the brain than Maslow hypothesized, but the strongest emotional bonds go beyond mere association—and actually improve prospects’ situations, stature or capacities.
Take-away: Explore ideas to directly increase the status of key customer segments.
Example: In my own work, I have used nurture marketing to help customers of clients gain new skills and improve job performance through educational white papers and interactive, how-to tools.
How does your marketing speak to the brain’s need to feel important?
You might also like…
What motivates us: new marketing and brain research (part 1 of 10)
NEW brain research part 2: Setting the record straight on Maslow’s theories
NEW brain research part 4: Nothing’s certain but death, taxes and marketing
NEW brain research part 5: Autonomy and irrational decision-making in marketing
NEW brain research part 6: Can you relate to marketing?
NEW brain research part 7: Life’s not fair for marketers
NEW brain research part 8: The marketing implications of Maslow’s hidden levels
NEW brain research part 9: Book review: Bob Gilbreath’s Marketing with Meaning
NEW brain research part 10: Book review: David Rock’s Your Brain at Work
Nurture marketing: a strategically superior alternative to drip marketing
The 10 golden rules of marketing white papers
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