REAPS model of needs was proposed by Indian Brand Guru Jagdeep Kapoor of Samsika Marketing Consultants.
REAPS stands for
R - Rational Need
E - Emotional Need
A - Aspirational Need
P - Physical Need
S - Spiritual Need
REAPS Model may sound too simple and obvious . Nothing New about it - was my first impression when I read about it. But on contemplation, this simple model is of immense use for marketers.
What REAPS Model does is that it helps you to understand the various needs of a consumer and then the marketer will be able to rate the brand on these needs.The brand will also then be able to position itself on the most dominant need of the target market. A successful brand should be able to engage all these needs of the consumer.
REAPS Model has its root in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory and other motivational theories but what has appealed to me is the simplicity and the practical nature of this model.
The task of the marketer is to understand the dominant need category to which the target segment belong and then create a product /communication for them.
The task of the marketer is to understand the dominant need category to which the target segment belong and then create a product /communication for them.
Another important factor to understand is that a consumer will have multiple needs at a point of time. Hence while creating a product, the marketer has to make sure that the product appeal to all these need levels. Brands which have iconic status appeal to all these need levels of the consumer.
For example a brand like Apple, appeals to the rational needs through its product features, appeals to the emotional need of the consumers through its positioning, is aspirational because of the brand , appeals to the physical needs through design and connects to the consumer at a higher level of bonding with the consumer.
According to Wharton , Nokia is a brand which addressed all these needs successfully and hence was able to rule the Indian market . Read the article here : Wharton on REAPS
REAPS is a simple tool which can be used by marketers working on a new product design. The idea and the prototypes can be rated on these needs to see whether it makes sense to go ahead.This tool also helps marketer to periodically review their brand on these needs to see whether the brand is still relevant to consumer.
It is also encouraging to see proprietary models being developed by Indian marketers.
Kudos to Mr Jagdeep Kapoor.
The REAPS model is applicable to Advertising too..right?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a very good post. Thanks for the great blog.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing new about this rendition of the components of 'REAPS', In their own way design schools and the world of ethnographic research have been talking about this for over 3 decades.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's why Apple and Nokia (both design and ethnography centric) did what they did before marketers adopted the jargon.
That said, while it is nice to read it broken down into simple understandable words and action points, it is just as difficult to deliver on them. It may appear that Apple and Nokia 'planned' everything that they did, but that takes away the real story of relentlessly committed visionaries who lead teams and love true and transparent self-expression. There are no stories for them to construct like advertisers try to do. for their good products, the products themselves are the story - one look at them and you know that there were some seriously intelligent and talented individuals who did not like to compromise. It is for that that you covet them and pay the price.
Rational models like REAPS are fine to a point, but organisations (and people within them) have to feel a sense of purpose in what they do and experience 'Flow' at the time of creation. This self-apmlifying, almost irrational and individualistic, process is what takes them miles ahead of the competition.