The consumer purchase journey - simple concept - complex to understand - harder to achieve

I have spent much of the past decade writing, consulting and speaking about the top part of the consumer diagram. All the stuff about demographics, lifestyle and the other things that distinguish one older consumer group from another.

Recently I have become fascinated by the dimension of consumers related to their relationship with touchpoints. Thanks to Millward Brown for their excellent diagram and report (Demystifying the Consumer Journey)

Now in truth it is difficult to have a 'relationship' with a touchpoint. Well at least I have found it difficult.

What you want, above everything else, is an effective touchpoint that provides exactly what you want when you want it.

The way that Millward Brown talks about the 'relationship' is all to do with understanding each touchpoint’s individual role in the purchase journey, and the impact of multiple touchpoint interactions on the final purchase.

I think they are missing a level that is more fundamental than they are describing. It is all about the touchpoint delivering what it is supposed to do to all ages. If the touchpoint is designed for a 30 year old what happens when it is used by somebody 40 years older? Lots of smiley faces can rapidly become glum and disaffected.

Here are a couple of quotes from the report that make salutatory reading:

Only 25% of marketers are confident that their resources are properly aligned to orchestrate a seamless consumer experience

Marketers identified “planning across consumer touchpoints” as their #1 pain point in 2015

The bottom line recommendation from Millward Brown is the need for 'Simplicity'. I think they are right but it needs to be qualified. It is age neutral simplicity. Our friends at Apple are pretty good at achieving this nirvana. They are in a rarefied company. Dick Stroud