Model discovery has modified. Huge time. Gone are the times when everybody discovered new merchandise the identical approach. At present, Gen Alpha, millennials, Gen Z, Gen X, and child boomers are all on the hunt for manufacturers in several spots. From engines like google and social media, to good old style word-of-mouth, being the place your viewers is has by no means been extra vital. Keep tuned as we share solutions to:
- What’s model discovery, and why is it vital?Â
- How do customers discover manufacturers and merchandise?
- How does every technology discover them?
- How do customers analysis services and products?
- How will you use GWI information to energy model discovery?
- What can TikTok educate us about model discovery?
- Model discovery FAQs
Let’s dive into what it actually takes to seize customers’ consideration in 2025.
What’s model discovery?Â
Model discovery is how customers discover and join with new manufacturers. It’s the place to begin of the client journey – the place somebody first comes into contact with a model, and its services and products.Â
Why is model discovery vital?
In a crowded market, standing out isn’t any straightforward feat. Model discovery is what turns heads and makes your model memorable. It’s extra than simply visibility — it’s about sparking that “Oh, I’ve seen them earlier than!” feeling. Sturdy model discovery helps you construct familiarity and belief, reworking first impressions into lasting connections that drive gross sales and increase income.
How do customers discover manufacturers and merchandise?
Let’s get straight to the main points. insights from 2024, these are the highest channels driving model discovery at the moment.
Engines like google
A 3rd of customers (33%) discover new manufacturers and merchandise by way of engines like google. This highlights the significance of optimizing your on-line presence so potential clients can simply uncover you with only a fast search.
Advertisements seen on TV
One other 33% of customers uncover manufacturers by way of TV adverts. Whereas the digital panorama is rising, conventional media nonetheless performs a key function in reaching audiences.
Phrase-of-mouth suggestions from buddies or household
With 30% of customers discovering new manufacturers by way of suggestions from buddies or household, the affect of private connections is obvious. Manufacturers can faucet into this by encouraging glad clients to unfold the phrase — providing incentives like referral reductions or loyalty factors to show optimistic experiences into highly effective endorsements.
Advertisements seen on social media
30% of customers discover new manufacturers by way of social media adverts. Make your model the one which stops the scroll — seize consideration with sharp focusing on and fascinating content material that stands out in busy feeds.
Model/product web sites
For 26% of customers, model and product discovery begins on official web sites. From eye-catching design to charming content material, a robust web site may be the distinction between a fast browse and a brand new buyer.
TV exhibits and movies
Have you ever ever seen a product in a film or TV present that caught your eye? So have 25% of customers. These strategic placements can create a robust reference to audiences, boosting model consciousness in an entertaining approach.
Advertisements seen on web sites
23% of customers uncover new manufacturers by way of web site adverts. Banner adverts and sponsored content material may be efficient for driving consciousness, particularly when you place them on the fitting websites. Retail media networks are additionally a rising alternative, as manufacturers should buy advert house on standard retail web sites to succeed in high-intent customers who’re already in a shopping for mindset.
On-line retail web sites
Our information exhibits on-line retail web sites introduce 23% of customers to new manufacturers. By partnering with standard e-commerce platforms, you’ll be able to broaden your attain and make it simpler for customers to find your merchandise.
Suggestions and feedback on social media
You don’t should put money into adverts to win on social media; 23% of customers uncover manufacturers by way of suggestions and feedback on social platforms. Participating along with your viewers and inspiring conversations can construct your model’s status and appeal to new followers.
Shopper evaluate websites
Lastly, 23% of customers flip to evaluate websites to find new manufacturers and merchandise, displaying simply how a lot belief influences shopping for selections. Optimistic critiques could make all of the distinction, so incentivizing joyful clients to develop into model ambassadors and share their experiences with others is a good way to spice up model consciousness.Â
So there you could have it: engines like google and TV adverts reign supreme. However do these high spots shift once we have a look at generational habits? Let’s discover out.
How does every technology discover manufacturers and merchandise?
Each marketer is aware of you’ll be able to’t goal Gen Alpha in the identical approach you’d attain a child boomer, and that is very true in relation to model discovery. Right here’s a breakdown of what captures consideration and drives discovery throughout the totally different age teams.Â
How do Gen Alpha uncover manufacturers?
Gen Alpha could also be younger, however they’re already savvy customers, with social media taking part in an enormous function in how they discover manufacturers and merchandise. Amongst youngsters aged 12-15 who use social platforms, 29% say they’re there to maintain up with their favourite manufacturers, 26% use it to find issues they need to purchase, and 22% scroll for model inspiration. And this affect is just rising.
In Europe, the variety of 12-15 12 months olds utilizing social media to search out merchandise has spiked by 13% since 2021, whereas the quantity following manufacturers has gone up 14%. Attending to grips with Gen Alpha’s distinctive traits is crucial for reaching this youngest technology of customers, and a robust social media presence is essential for manufacturers to remain seen and related.
How do Gen Z uncover new manufacturers and merchandise?
It ought to come as no shock that tech-native Gen Z primarily uncover new manufacturers by way of social media adverts (32%), TV adverts (28%), and engines like google (28%). However what you won’t know is 26% nonetheless depend on word-of-mouth suggestions from family and friends. It goes to indicate that, even for this tech-forward technology, belief and private connections nonetheless carry a variety of weight.
However it’s not simply the same old channels catching Gen Z’s consideration — being digital-first, they’re particularly aware of adverts in additional immersive and interactive areas. They’re 36% extra possible than the common client to find manufacturers by way of adverts in video video games, 33% extra more likely to discover them by way of vlogs, and 28% extra more likely to discover them by way of adverts in digital areas.
How do millennials uncover merchandise and new manufacturers?
Millennials usually uncover new manufacturers and merchandise through engines like google (33%), social media adverts (31%), and TV adverts (31%). And as a technology that stands out for being assured utilizing expertise (46% of millennials say this), it is smart that they present a novel affinity for social media updates instantly from manufacturers (11%Â greater than common), professional weblog posts or critiques (11% extra), and influencer endorsements (10% extra).
So what does this imply for manufacturers seeking to interact millennials? It’s all about authenticity, relevance, and experience. Millennials worth manufacturers that really feel real and supply knowledgeable, reliable views.
How do Gen X uncover new manufacturers?
Gen X know how one can navigate each on-line and offline worlds in relation to discovering new manufacturers. This technology, identified for his or her model loyalty, flip to engines like google most frequently (37%), however in addition they catch TV adverts (36%) and belief suggestions from buddies (33%).Â
What actually units them aside, although, is their appreciation for in-store experiences — issues like promotions and product brochures are notably influential. In truth, they’re 15% extra possible than the common client to have interaction with promotions or shows in-store, and 14% extra more likely to uncover manufacturers by way of product brochures and catalogues.
How do child boomers discover new manufacturers?
Trying on the traits of child boomers, it’s clear a lot of at the moment’s promoting misses the mark with this group. So, what does work?
For model discovery, child boomers gravitate towards acquainted, trusted channels and conventional media. TV adverts are their high supply at 45%, adopted intently by word-of-mouth suggestions from buddies or household (39%), engines like google (37%), and in-store promotions (31%). Print media is especially influential for this technology — they’re 59% extra possible than the common client to have interaction with newspaper or journal articles, 48% extra more likely to discover print adverts, and 37% extra possible to concentrate to unsolicited mail.Â
How do customers analysis services and products?Â
After customers uncover your model, the subsequent step they’ll possible take is definitely researching it. When customers are actively searching for extra details about manufacturers, merchandise, or providers, these are the highest on-line sources they use:Â
However as soon as once more, age performs an enormous half. After we section this information by technology, some key variations come to mild:Â
- For Gen X and child boomers, their high analysis channels are engines like google (57%), adopted by client critiques (41%), then social networks (39%)Â
- Whereas for Gen Z and millennials, social networks take the highest spot (51%), adopted by engines like google (48%), then client critiques (36%)
These insights stress the necessity for manufacturers to adapt their methods to every age group’s preferences, ensuring they share related data within the locations every technology is probably to see it.
How will you use GWI information to energy model discovery?
For those who’ve made it this far, you already perceive the worth of figuring out the place and the way totally different customers discover manufacturers. A focused model discovery technique isn’t simply sensible — it’s important for connecting along with your viewers on a deeper stage. Right here’s how GWI will help you craft a profitable model discovery technique:
Pinpoint the perfect channels
The place does every technology go to search out new manufacturers? Information from our client analysis platform takes the guesswork out of the equation, serving to you discover the candy spots — from Gen Z’s favourite social platforms to boomers’ go-to magazines and TV exhibits. Get straight to the channels that take advantage of affect.
Perceive what clicks along with your viewersÂ
When you’ve nailed down your channel, select a content material format that’s immediately related. Our information helps you uncover the content material that greatest appeals to totally different client teams – from Gen X’s desire for in-store shows, to Gen Z’s love of interactive adverts.Â
Create campaigns that hit residence
Now you realize your viewers’s most well-liked channel content material, it’s time to craft a marketing campaign that speaks to every group of their language. Our insights allow you to form messages which can be tuned in and tailor-made, driving actual engagement the place it issues most.
Keep on high of what’s subsequent
Tendencies change quick. Staying forward of shifts in discovery habits is essential to making sure your model’s precisely the place individuals are trying. By monitoring rising channels and adapting your model discovery technique, you’ll attain audiences when and the place it issues most, conserving your model related and high of thoughts.
What can TikTok educate us about model discovery?
Suppose TikTok’s only for leisure? Suppose once more.Â
TikTok’s personal information urged a rising variety of skilled C-suite customers on the platform, however they wanted a third-party supply to solidify this narrative. Enter GWI. With our viewers insights, TikTok verified that 74% of C-suite execs within the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been actively utilizing the platform — not only for leisure, however more and more for enterprise.
Digging deeper, the staff discovered these senior leaders have been turning to the platform for networking, decision-making, and, right here’s the massive one – discovering new manufacturers and merchandise. This perception essentially challenged the standard notion of TikTok as an leisure house alone, proving it to be an rising hub for model discovery amongst high-level professionals.
With dependable third-party information to assist their findings, TikTok may now place itself as a beneficial channel for manufacturers seeking to attain influential decision-makers within the GCC.
Key takeawaysÂ
In 2025, efficient model discovery means assembly customers the place they’re – on the channels they belief most, with the kind of content material they worth. With such assorted generational preferences, a profitable technique must be dynamic, adaptive, and data-led to seize consideration and drive significant engagement.Â
Prepared to maneuver past fundamental focusing on and pinpoint your excellent viewers with adverts they’ll’t ignore? You want our media planning information.Â
Model discovery FAQs
How do I enhance my model discovery technique?
Deal with understanding your viewers’s go-to channels, then create content material that captures their consideration. Observe what’s working and sustain with shifting client developments to verify your strategy stays efficient.
What channels ought to I concentrate on for model discovery?
Channels fluctuate by viewers: engines like google and TV are broad winners, social media resonates with youthful audiences, and conventional media works effectively with older demographics. The secret is to make use of the fitting client information to information your decisions.
