Inverting the funnel

Its been a while since the last post, but lots has been going on - in my head and on the ground. But head first....

My current client loves to look at the classic marketing funnel. Awareness, familiarity etc. etc. I think most planners reading this probably know that this doesn't fit with how the world really works (this is a reflection on the client). For example, we know attitude forms after action. So maybe most people think that we have moved...


from   awareness - familiarity - attitude - action


to   Intrigue - Investigation - Action

While on the surface this may look similar, I would define investigation as an active step (seeking out information) and familiarity as a passive one. I would also argue that awareness is not enough - witha mutlitude of consumer choices you need awareness + relevance immediately .

However, I'm not sure the above is enough of a change. The funnel is still a narrowing funnel (I would try and draw this efefct on the above funnels but I'm a planner not a programmer). We need a funnel that starts small and gets big, if only to reflect the new media landscape and advances in our thinking.

Ideas about consumers as herd animals, consumers cynicism towards mass media and the empowerment caused by the web - all of these things suggest that we need a different model for marketing. This model might look as follows;

intrigue (among a small group) - co-option - investigation - consideration/opinion - publicity

The implication here is that we start with a small target audience, creating intrigue among them and allowing them to co-opt and have input on the product. News about the product then spreads organically through the evagelists encouraging people to investigate. Mass ads come last, after the brand has built a base.

This is not the only model - please send your thoughts. If I had to pick a brand that had used this model it would be Starbucks,who didn't do any advertising until recently. The stores and the cups were their ads instead.