“[Marketing teams] have focused their limited, highly-scrutinized communication resources on lower funnel, direct response activities.   With inventories growing, revenues shrinking and consumer sentiment falling off a cliff, it is easy to understand the need for this approach.  Digital marketing efforts have been a beneficiary of this trend.  The combined accountability and real time optimization opportunities which are inherent to digital have been the main reasons for this.  There is nothing like a serious recession to focus everyone on ROI – especially lower funnel ROI.”

http://www.fastcompany.com/1608700/the-time-is-now-for-brand-building-and-upper-funnel-roi