The Buyerarchy Of Needs

Photo credit: Sarah Lazarovic

A couple of years back, a famous illustrative hierarchy on the trends and needs of consumers, and the consumer behaviour, was created by Canadian illustrator Sarah Lazarovic, who is also a creative director and a visual journalist specializing in info-graphics and illustrations. 

Sara Lazarovic's The Buyerarchy of Needs is a creative twist to Abraham Maslow's famous "Hierarchy of Needs". Maslow created a pyramidal classification on the necessities of survival when he found some necessities taking precedence over other necessities.  He laid out five levels of needs:  the physiological needs, the needs for safety and security, the needs for love and belonging, the needs for esteem, and the need to actualize the self- and the levels are arranged in the order that pushes the instincts, with psychological needs placed at the base and self-actualization at the top of the pyramid.

Lazarovic's innovative twist in this pyramid gives a similiar structure for consumers buying goods, the ultimate aim being to save money and use it when needed. The 'buyerarchy' moves from using what you have at the base to borrowing, swapping, buying in thrifts, making as levels through the alternate intermediate layers (in that order), and finally buying at the apex of the pyramid. This hierarchy of levels, when kept in mind while buying, not only help save money, but also help save the environment. 

It is important to utilize resources judiciously, and help create a sustainable change. The illustrative Buyerarchy of Needs is a beautiful way to capture the essence of saving both money and natural resources. Its levels reinforce that the panacea to all environment ills is to use the well known principle of 5 R's- refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot! 

It is an inspiring and creative illustration, and so is its illustrator! It is such a pleasure to discover the mind behind creativity, and where such ideas are inspired from. Next time you spot an interesting picture/photograph/illustration/quote/any artistic expression that catches your attention, and makes you pause and think, take that little effort to find out who is behind it! I'm sure we'll all have a lot more to learn and gain that way!