Mooney states: "Now that digital technology is enabling a radically altered consumer journey, marketers must toss aside the old models: old models for understanding the journey but also old models for planning media, allocating budgets, big idea generation and agency engagement. It’s a new era of consumer experience creation and the winners will be the marketers that master the new journey."So what's the new journey? And why are there so many different versions of them? Mooney (in the face of competition from the major research houses) says the new customer journey looks like this:
In Mooney's model, the modern consumer journey isn't driven by mass media; its driven by user engagement. Her pillars suggest the following:
- Search & Discover
- Consumer search or discover as their new journey first step
- Assess
- Consumers now turn to social networks to discuss before purchases, e.g. "assess"
- Buy
- Mooney doesn't elaborate too much here, but I think her point is that in the past a purchase wasn't able to be so easily broadcast (via social) tools to others. Today, hitting a purchase button online can reinforce the value of that product to others instantaneously (if the user wishes). And, as you'll see, in the new digital economy, buying is no longer the end of the journey. It's in many cases just the beginning, as digital tools allow users to both share consumption and influence others to not only also buy, but also to assess
- Consume
- In the past consumers consumed and didn't pass along their evaluation as they do now. With social tools the new call center, good and bad reviews get out quickly
- Influence
- Social tools used on the back end of purchase now drive front end purchase decisions of friends and family. In this way, social media is driving a direct feedback mechanism to front end media and digital strategy planning
