Journeys Evolve

Journeys Evolve. Another implication of Bubble-up Culture is that brands and journeys evolve. To tap into such effects, marketers may want to perceive a brand as a plural entity with different meanings for distinct audiences, but shared relevance for all of them; They should draw bedrock insights from fans and extend them to broader audiences, as for example, with McDonald’s “Famous Orders”. They should reassess customer journeys, as some buyers may purchase based on community recommendations (#TikTokmademebuyit) and “discover” a brand afterwards. An important part of figuring out how to approach this involves diversifying research methods. Each community has an internal culture, so quantitative research alone will not suffice. Qualitative research could be set for a resurgence, as it is a powerful way to identify communal patterns, cues and values. Analyzing community hierarchies can determine which members drive virality. Given consumers usually belong to several “taste clusters”, tracing interconnections between groups will yield benefits.