Moment of truth (marketing)

For other uses, see Moment of Truth (disambiguation).

Moment of truth (MOT) in marketing, is the moment when a customer/user interacts with a brand, product or service to form or change an impression about that particular brand, product or service. In 2005, A. G. Lafley, Chairman, President & CEO of Procter & Gamble coined two "Moments of Truth".^[1] A third was introduced later.^[2]

Types of MoTs

• First moment of truth (FMOT): When a customer is first confronted with the product, either offline or online.^[3] It occurs within the first 3-7 seconds of a consumer encountering the product and it is during this time that marketers have the capability of turning a browser into a buyer.^[4] Procter & Gamble describe the first moment of truth as the "moment a consumer chooses a product over the other competitors offerings".^[5]
• Second moment of truth (SMOT): When a customer purchases a product and experiences its quality as per the promise of the brand.^[6][7] There can be multiple second moments of truth for every time the product is consumed (used),^[8] providing the consumer with information for future purchases and for sharing their experience with the product/service.^{[citation needed]}
• Third moment of truth (TMOT): When consumers give feedback or reactions towards a brand, product or service, i.e., consumer becomes brand advocate and gives back via word of mouth or social media publishing.^[9]
• Zero moment of truth (ZMOT) is a term coined by Google in 2011,^[10] it refers to the research which is conducted online about a product or service before taking any action, i.e., searching for mobile reviews before making a purchase. The Internet has changed altogether the way consumers interact with brands, products or services. This online decision-making moment is termed as ZMOT. According to research conducted by Google, 88% of US customers are researching online before actually buying the product.^[11]
• Actual moment of truth was identified by Amit Sharma, Founder & CEO of Narvar, to describe the new post-purchase experience gap created by the advent of online shopping, after a consumer has made a purchase but before they've received the product.^[12]

Further reading

• Moments of Truth by Jan Carlzon
• Relationship Marketing and Customer Relationship Management by Annekie Brink & Adele Berndt
• Winning the Zero Moment of Truth
• ZMOT Handbook