Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay

Needs are fundamental feelings that consumers must satisfy e.g. thirst, whilst wants are the various preferences individual consumers have about how they want these needs satisfied e.g. different types of drinks. However, the amount of money a consumer has will determine their demand. Demand is a consumer's purchasing power; it determines, for example, what type of drink he can afford to buy.

An additional role of marketing is to inform organisations of rapid changes occurring in the marketplace so that they can adapt to satisfy the changing needs and desires of consumers. Organisations need to have an understanding of their customers and be aware of any changing needs in order to be prepared to deliver such needs at an acceptable level. This can be achieved by recognising and understanding the demands of customers as it assists in anticipating any changes that occur in consumer tastes. Successful organisations adopt, as a business-wide function, a marketing orientation that encourages commitment to identifying and satisfying the needs, wants and demands of their customers. Procter & Gamble “develop superior understanding of consumers and their needs” to improve the lives of their customers by providing products and services of superior quality and value. This superior understanding enables an organisation to meet the distinctive needs of customers by segmenting the rapidly changing market in order to target groups sharing similar values.

Procter & Gamble contribute to the economic and social well-being of their employees, stakeholders and local communities. The marketing role manages all the relationships shared between the organisation and its stakeholder groups. Marketing refers not only to a marketing function within an organisation but also to a marketing orientation that influences other activities of the organisation.

When Febreeze and Swiffer were promoted as “allergen-reducing” products, Procter & Gamble conducted a survey on women to determine who ...