Consumer-driven marketing is increasingly important as customers seize control of the process and actively “pull” information helpful to them. McKinsey research found that during the phase when consumers are considering a purchase, 2/3 of the touch points (that is, moments when customers learned more about a product) were actually driven by the consumer rather than the seller. These include reading product reviews on the Internet, discussing a product with friends and family, or in-store interactions. Traditional marketing remains important, but more so in building brand awareness, before customers are deciding what to purchase.

Source: The Consumer Decision Journey