Journey of The Consumer
By Bobby Riley | August 20th, 2009
I am genuinely excited to chime into our new blog for the first time. We have had a litany of discussions at Soldier (a brand development firm focused on consumer experience, located in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA) on the subject the “journey of the consumer”. It’s a term and narrative that we often think about and play through in our creative initiatives. Most of what we do at Soldier is consumer facing messaging and storytelling in print, digital and spacial environments. We are always exploring new and innovative ways to reach an intended audience at the right times. Our evolving process called Brandseeking™ is Soldier’s structured method that we often use to uncover, create and demystify the “journey of their consumer” for our clients. One of the exercises is called Brand Experience and it’s a linear activity that questions the plot power of the brand and another is called Brand Delivery, which is a non-linear exercise focused on crafting a desired brand narrative both conceptually and visually that delivers to market. Both are very informing when isolated in the exercise itself, but more interesting and informative when layered with moments, or touch points, that considers when consumers are actually open to influence.
Below is traditional funnel concept (Exhibit 1). According to McKinsey in the traditional funnel approach ––consumers start with a number of potential brands in mind (the wide end of the funnel), marketing is then directed at them as they methodically reduce that number and move through the funnel, and at the end they emerge with the one brand they chose to purchase. McKinsey goes on to say–– “the funnel concept fails to capture all the touch points and key buying factors resulting from the explosion of product choices and digital channels, coupled with the emergence of an increasingly discerning, well-informed consumer.
We have found this to be so very true. The new highly discerning consumer is not operating in a linear fashion anymore and they are holding remote controls too, ready to change the channel at any moment in the cycle. Getting and holding the attention of an intended audience today may be more like what I experienced growing up as the youngest of six children isolated by eight years to my closest sibling. You need to pull off some pretty creative pursuits to be seen, heard, loved and respected. And to be consistent and persevere is another track altogether. I think marketers, designers and thinkers have a similar task today to achieve favor from their intended audience.
I found the following interactive link a helpful way to view the evolving landscape of consumer decision making, while leaving some room for some improved thought on how to reach consumers with experiences that most influence decisions.
Click the interactive link below from an article in McKinsey Quarterly this past JUNE 2009 by David Court, Dave Elzinga, Susan Mulder, and Ole Jørgen Vetvik. The authors suggest a more sophisticated approach is required to help marketers navigate this environment, which is less linear and more complicated than the funnel suggests.
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/The_consumer_decision_journey_2373?pagenum=1#interactive