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“Today I went shopping and bought too many things I don’t need”, this is a popular statement to which everybody can relate in some way. The public opinion implies that marketing is used to make people buy items they don’t need, or are even forced by a advertising campaign. The question popping up is: Are consumers pressured by marketing to buy things they don’t need or are customers acting rational?

In my opinion consumer needs are not created artificially but needs are mistaken by wants for the consumer. To answer the question above however we need to refine the definition of needs.

When defining needs, one might think about the basic needs like food, water, shelter. Another approach is Maslow´s pyramid of needs, showing a refined definition in a five level model.

At the base of the pyramid needs like shelter, food and sleep can be found. Those are basic needs that guarantee the survival of a individual .

If we go to the next level advanced needs like security are found. Once you satisfied the basic needs you can start thinking about security.

This scheme can be repeated over 2 l...