Why Linear Funnels Make Gen Z Yawn
Remember the classic marketing funnel? Awareness → Consideration → Conversion → Retention. Everyone learns it in school like it’s the ultimate playbook. But honestly? Gen Z doesn’t follow that path. Not even close.
Social media and AI have turned the customer journey into something way more unpredictable. It’s less a straight line and more a loop, a flywheel, a constantly spinning carousel. Discovery, engagement, purchase, they all happen at once, in any order. One minute someone’s laughing at a TikTok, the next they’re buying something they didn’t even know existed an hour ago.
Brands that get this are having fun with it. Ads don’t just interrupt, they meet people where they already are. Content pops up, reels catch an eye, founders’ personalities show up in unexpected ways. It’s less about pushing and more about creating a vibe people want to be part of.
Take Bass, for example. You stumble on a reel. You give it a like. Maybe follow. A well-timed ad shows up, and you click “buy.” Then, without even realizing it, you’re watching the founder’s TikTok, showing up at a pop-up, feeling like you belong to the brand world. That’s a loop. That’s engagement. That’s a flywheel quietly doing its work.
The old funnel ended at purchase. The new loop keeps moving. Every interaction feeds the next one, building loyalty, community, and a little momentum that feels effortless. Linear funnels? They still exist, sure. But this feels… alive. Real. Fun.
And the wild part? Watching it all unfold feels a bit like people-watching at a really good party. You see who’s laughing at what, who’s following who, what trends stick and which fizzle out. The journey isn’t tidy or predictable, and that’s part of the charm. Every scroll, like, or share adds a little ripple, and suddenly you realize the line between consumer and participant is way blurrier than anyone ever taught in marketing class.
The takeaway? Marketing doesn’t have to be rigid or forced. It’s more about showing up consistently, telling a story, creating moments people want to keep coming back to. Content, personality, experiences, they all add spin to the wheel.
So yeah, the traditional funnel isn’t dead, but it’s definitely… snoozing. Meanwhile, the flywheel is quietly winning, one reel, one post, one experience at a time. And honestly? Watching it spin is kind of satisfying.
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