Advertising addresses a wide variety of basic human needs according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The document discusses three advertisements and how each fulfills different human needs. The Starbucks Frappuccino ad satisfies physiological and belonging needs. The Geico insurance ad meets safety needs by offering protection. The Levi's "Live In" jeans ad addresses esteem and belonging needs by depicting the brand as hip and wanting others to notice the brand is being worn. Advertising plays a role in consumer happiness and well-being by making people aware of goods and services that can improve their lives and meet basic human motivations.

1. Whitney Hall
Intro to Advertising
Social and Ethical Aspects ofAdvertising
My Topic Choice: Advertising Affects Happiness and General Well-Being
My Position is Pro: Advertising Addresses a Wide Variety of Basic Human Needs
People often take advertising for granted; always complaining about the commercial break, or
the new large billboard on their way into the city. Little do they know just how much these
“annoying” advertisements are helping them work toward meeting their basic human needs.
According to page 82 of Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion, advertisements help
people find goods and services that help them satisfy their basic physiological, safety, love and
belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs. (O’Guinn 82) The book goes on to explain that
Maslow suggested that these needs are what motivate people to act the way that they do and
although he was just referencing human needs and motivation, it also happens to work for
consumers because they are turning to goods and services they see in advertisements to meet
these needs. (O’Guinn 82)
In our current society, looks are everything and people are always striving to have whatever the
media tells them is the new trend. This is where advertising starts to play a huge role in the
general happiness and well-being of consumers. I believe that advertising helps people become
more aware of all of the things the world has to offer them and how they can use these things to
help improve their lives
Starbucks Frappuccino Ad
The images and text in this ad support my argument because they are addressing physiological
needs as well as love and belonging needs. On page 82, the book describes physiological needs
as, “Biological needs that require the satisfaction of hunger, thirst, and basic bodily functions.”

2. (O’Guinn 82) This ad is a picture of Starbuck’s newest Frappuccino flavor and this product
could potentially help an individual quench their thirst. The book also describes love and
belonging needs as, “ the need for affiliation and affection.” (O’Guinn 82) Starbuck’s consumers
are usually very proud and loyal, so this advertisement could also help committed consumers
meet their love and belonging needs.
Geico Ad
The images and text in this advertisement helps support my argument because it is addressing
safety needs. According to the book, safety needs are, “the need to provide shelter and protection
for the body and to maintain a comfortable existence.” (O’Guinn 82) Geico is a care insurance
company and this ad is attempting to highlight how much more protection Geico offers for less
money than its competitors. When consumers purchase things like a car or home insurance, they
are doing so to ensure that they are protecting themselves as well as their assets. This
advertisement is offering to help consumers meet this need by offering them lower rates on car
insurance than their competitors.
“Live In” Levis Ad
The text and images in this advertisement help support my argument because it is addressing
esteem needs as well as love and belonging needs. The book defines esteem needs as, “the need
for recognition, status, and prestige. In addition to the respect of others, there is a need and desire
for self-respect.” (O’Guinn 82) This ad depicts the women wearing their jeans as fun, music
loving girls out on the town; by wearing these jeans you will be viewed as laid back and hip.
Consumers will look at this ad and want to feel the same way as the women pictured, but more
importantly, they will want someone to notice that they are wearing the levis brand. Consumers

3. may buy these jeans just because they want to feel like they belong to the crowd of Levis wearers
and that could also start to address some love and belonging needs as well.
Bibliography
O’Guinn, T. C., Allan, C. T., Smenik, R. J., etc. (2015) Advertising & Integrated Brand
Promotion. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.