Loopy
THE CHART THAT CHANGED MARKETING POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS FOREVER.
In June 2009, McKinsey Quarterly published a seminal article that would change marketing and chart porn world forever. The consumer decision journey, by David Court, Dave Elzinga, Susan Mulder, and Ole Jørgen Vetvik envisioned a more sophisticated, less linear model for thinking about the journey consumers take from consideration to purchase. Weighing in at about 3000 words and featuring several simple charts, the piece became an immediate hit from CEOs to CMOs to ad agency executives.
One particular chart visualizing the new consumer journey became known simply as the “McKinsey Loop.” Its universal simplicity made it immediately applicable across industries regardless of geography. It immediately spawned legions of likenesses with every agency, designer, marketing executive and strategist putting their own spin on this iconic chart.
The McKinsey Loop
David Court, Dave Elzinga, Susan Mulder, and Ole Jørgen Vetvik, "The consumer decision journey", McKinsey Quarterly, July, 2009
In honor of the the 8th anniversary of McKinsey Loop, here is a guide for spotting it in the wild.
A field guide to spotting the "McKinsey Loop" a.k.a "The Loyalty Loop" a.k.a "The Consumer Decision Journey"
The palette explorer
The color selections of the original may not have been in line with the tastes of non-Denver Broncos fans. Changing the colors is one of the most popular updates.
The Circle
Like the loop, don’t like the deformed egg look? No problem, let’s make it a circle.
The Austere
The original was pretty simple. How do you make it even more straightforward? Strip everything out and use simple lines with simple labels.
