Articles Quote by Charles Kettering
“Industry prospers when it offers people articles which they want more than they want anything they now have. The fact is that people never buy what they need. They buy what they want.”
About This Quote
People purchase based on desire rather than necessity, driving markets toward appealing offerings.
In simple terms: People buy what they want, not what they need.
Key Takeaway
Focus on creating desirable products.
Themes
consumer behavior
marketing
desire
economics
Mood
motivational
pragmatic
Type
business
psychological
marketing
When to use this quote
- product design
- advertising campaigns
- retail strategy
- brand positioning
Key Concepts
psychology of desire
need vs want
value perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance desire‑driven sales with genuine value?
- What ethical lines exist in exploiting desire?
A Different Perspective
Neglecting essential needs can limit long‑term loyalty.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
