For decades, the classic marketing funnel shaped how brands approached the customer journey. Awareness led to consideration. Consideration led to purchase. The process was simple and predictable.
That model no longer tells the full story.
Consumer behavior has shifted. Today’s journey is more fluid and less linear. Customers move between touchpoints, revisit research, and convert when it suits them rather than following a campaign calendar.
At Prime Time Marketing, we help brands adapt to this reality with integrated media strategy, connected planning, and measurement grounded in how people actually make decisions.
From Funnel to Fluid
Modern consumers rarely move cleanly from one stage to the next. Instead, they navigate across platforms and devices. They may search one day, watch a review video the next, and respond to a message weeks later.
Google has described this behavior as the “Messy Middle,” where people loop between exploration and evaluation before making a decision. Their research highlights how factors such as brand familiarity and social proof influence outcomes in nonlinear ways.
Boston Consulting Group has expanded on this idea, encouraging marketers to move beyond rigid, stage-based thinking and design for journeys that are dynamic, multi-touch, and driven by intent.
The takeaway is not that the funnel is obsolete, but that it is incomplete on its own.
What This Means for Brands
Strategy must be connected.
Isolated awareness or conversion campaigns are no longer sufficient. Media strategies should be flexible and coordinated, designed to meet consumers wherever they enter or re-enter the journey.
Traditional media still matters.
While digital drives much of this evolution, channels like television, radio, and out-of-home continue to shape reach, credibility, and brand recall. Their value increases when integrated into a broader, connected approach.
Measurement needs to evolve.
Last-click attribution alone does not capture the full picture. As journeys fragment, marketers benefit from measurement that accounts for influence across touchpoints and over time.
Creative must adapt.
Messaging should be designed to flex across platforms and contexts, whether someone is encountering a brand for the first time or returning after extended consideration.
Where Caution Is Still Warranted
Fluid journeys are harder to measure and manage. Attribution grows less certain, and platform-reported results require careful interpretation. Connected strategies also demand more coordination across teams and resources.
Linear behavior has not disappeared entirely. In categories like local automotive retail, many consumers still follow a relatively direct path, making the traditional funnel a useful tool.
It is also worth noting that much of the research driving this shift comes from platforms that benefit from always-on investment. These insights are valuable, but they should be applied with context and discipline.
A Practical Way Forward
Rather than discarding the funnel, we recommend reframing it. The funnel remains a helpful lens, just not the only one.
Plan media that moves fluidly between awareness and action. Build creative that can live across touchpoints. Measure success in ways that reflect influence, not just the final interaction.
In Summary
Marketing today is less about pushing people down a pipeline and more about showing up at the right moments across journeys that may loop, pause, or restart.
It is more complex than it once was, but also more effective when approached with clarity and discipline.
At Prime Time Marketing, we help brands navigate this evolving landscape with connected media strategies, performance-driven creative, and a pragmatic focus on results.
