I was first introduced to the "First Moment of Truth" and "Second Moment of Truth" concepts during my initial days at Procter & Gamble several years ago. I remember getting the overview from a Brand Manager pitching Olay's new facial product for a case study we were doing as interns. We were asked to put together a strategy for launching a new facial cloth for the female on-the-go young professional. Our team presented a bill-board campaign (intercepting her as she goes to work, the gym, and the store) announcing Olay's campaign to find the Face of America. The idea was to get her engaged before she even made it to the shelf, associating the Olay Brand to what defines the Face of America. We won the case study competition.
Per Procter & Gamble's definition back in 2005, a consumer's first moment of truth is when they see the product at shelf and make their purchase decision. This has traditionally been the most important marketing opportunity for a Brand. But, times have changed. Today, the consumer has the power to decide what she wants to buy before she enters the store. And you better believe that she takes full advantage of the information she has at her fingertips.
Our team at Google has been sharing a concept that crystallizes this new Moment, we describe it as the "Zero Moment of Truth". Jim Lecinski, Google's Managing Director of US Sales & Service describes it in this short video:
He is actually making a complete eBook on the topic available for free. You can download it by following the link here.
In a conference I attended last year honoring Edison for his innovations, I met-up with AG Lafley, P&G's former CEO, and asked him what he thought about the Zero Moment of Truth. Here is a clip of the interview Google conducted for Wharton's Fast Forward YouTube Channel that day:
Now with the Zero Moment in mind, I would have changed my case study pitch and expanded the bill-board strategy to include coverage of the Digital Shelf (Search, YouTube and Display) via Computers/Laptops and Mobile devices. I could easily imagine Olay's Faces coming to life on YouTube.
It's kind of ironic that we are focused on the Zero when we are a company named after a number with 100 zeros after it. But, it does hint at an even broader theme of the Zero Moments of Truth.
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