Marketing strongly targets our desires and introduces new ones. From the creative aspect, much of the marketing we see is geared towards our "needs", but many of our "needs" are actually "desires". We don't really "need" a cell phone but we've come to convince ourselves (via marketing) that we should not risk being without them. What would happen if we had car trouble without a way to communicate? How secure would we feel about our teenagers going to the movies without their cell phones?

A great example of marketing convincing consumers of new desires is the cosmetic industry. The objective within the cosmetic industry is our "need" to stay healthy and young. Good health is a must, therefore this requirement is a great target, which in turn makes us (the consumer) very vulnerable. There are beauty products on the market that convince consumers through the power of advertising, by way of a beautiful, flawless model, that "XYZ" cream can reverse the signs of aging or that "ABC" ointment will make one's lips fuller. We somehow become convinced that the purchase of more than one product will address all our "needs". Sadly, most of the products on the market are redundant in their chemical make-up and aren't worth the plastic they are bottled in - hence the reason why the cosmetic industry is well over a billion dollar industry.

Another great example of marketing creating new desires are infomercials. Through infomercials, consumers are introduced to innovative products that "we all have somehow been missing throughout our lives". If you have 20 minutes to spare, these marketing geniuses will have you convinced that you need their product. Interestingly enough, most products (i.e. desires) purchased via this method are usually short-lived and end up in the garage-sale pile.

I think creative marketing initially targets our needs through stimulation of our desires.