Model discovery has modified. Huge time. Gone are the times when everybody discovered new merchandise the identical manner. At the moment, 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 school word-of-mouth, being the place your viewers is has by no means been extra necessary. Keep tuned as we share solutions to:
What’s model discovery, and why is it necessary?
How do customers discover manufacturers and merchandise?
How does every technology discover them?
How do customers analysis services?
How will you use GWI knowledge 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?
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.
Why is model discovery necessary?
In a crowded market, standing out isn’t any simple 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 enhance 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 immediately.
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 position in reaching audiences.
Phrase-of-mouth suggestions from pals or household
With 30% of customers discovering new manufacturers by way of suggestions from pals 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 fascinating content material, a powerful web site will 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 strong reference to audiences, boosting model consciousness in an entertaining manner.
Advertisements seen on web sites
23% of customers uncover new manufacturers by way of web site adverts. Banner adverts and sponsored content material will be efficient for driving consciousness, particularly should you place them on the best websites. Retail media networks are additionally a rising alternative, as manufacturers should buy advert house on in style retail web sites to succeed in high-intent customers who’re already in a shopping for mindset.
On-line retail web sites
Our knowledge exhibits on-line retail web sites introduce 23% of customers to new manufacturers. By partnering with in style e-commerce platforms, you possibly can broaden your attain and make it simpler for customers to find your merchandise.
Suggestions and feedback on social media
You don’t need to spend money on adverts to win on social media; 23% of customers uncover manufacturers by way of suggestions and feedback on social platforms. Participating together with your viewers and inspiring conversations can construct your model’s fame and entice new followers.
Client 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 choices. Constructive evaluations could make all of the distinction, so incentivizing glad clients to change into model ambassadors and share their experiences with others is an effective way to spice up model consciousness.
So there you have got it: engines like google and TV adverts reign supreme. However do these prime spots shift after we take a look at generational habits? Let’s discover out.
How does every technology discover manufacturers and merchandise?
Each marketer is aware of you possibly can’t goal Gen Alpha in the identical manner you’d attain a child boomer, and that is very true with regards to model discovery. Right here’s a breakdown of what captures consideration and drives discovery throughout the totally different age teams.
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 position in how they discover manufacturers and merchandise. Amongst children 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 simply 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 powerful social media presence is vital 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 may not know is 26% nonetheless depend on word-of-mouth suggestions from family and friends. It goes to point out that, even for this tech-forward technology, belief and private connections nonetheless carry a number of weight.
Nevertheless it’s not simply the standard 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 prone to discover them by way of vlogs, and 28% extra prone 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 by way of engines like google (33%), social media adverts (31%), and TV adverts (31%). And as a technology that stands out for being assured utilizing know-how (46% of millennials say this), it is smart that they present a novel affinity for social media updates straight from manufacturers (11% greater than common), knowledgeable weblog posts or evaluations (11% extra), and influencer endorsements (10% extra).
So what does this imply for manufacturers seeking to have interaction millennials? It’s all about authenticity, relevance, and experience. Millennials worth manufacturers that really feel real and provide knowledgeable, reliable views.
How do Gen X uncover new manufacturers?
Gen X know how one can navigate each on-line and offline worlds with regards 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 pals (33%).
What actually units them aside, although, is their appreciation for in-store experiences — issues like promotions and product brochures are significantly influential. Actually, they’re 15% extra possible than the common client to have interaction with promotions or shows in-store, and 14% extra prone 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 immediately’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 prime supply at 45%, adopted intently by word-of-mouth suggestions from pals 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 prone to discover print adverts, and 37% extra possible to concentrate to unsolicited mail.
How do customers analysis services?
After customers uncover your model, the following step they’ll possible take is definitely researching it. When customers are actively on the lookout for extra details about manufacturers, merchandise, or providers, these are the highest on-line sources they use:
However as soon as once more, age performs an enormous half. Once we section this knowledge by technology, some key variations come to mild:
For Gen X and child boomers, their prime analysis channels are engines like google (57%), adopted by client evaluations (41%), then social networks (39%)
Whereas for Gen Z and millennials, social networks take the highest spot (51%), adopted by engines like google (48%), then client evaluations (36%)
These insights stress the necessity for manufacturers to adapt their methods to every age group’s preferences, ensuring they share related information within the locations every technology is almost definitely to see it.
How will you use GWI knowledge to energy model discovery?
In the event you’ve made it this far, you already perceive the worth of realizing the place and the way totally different customers discover manufacturers. A focused model discovery technique isn’t simply sensible — it’s important for connecting together with your viewers on a deeper degree. Right here’s how GWI may also help you craft a profitable model discovery technique:
Pinpoint the very best 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 together with your viewers
When you’ve nailed down your channel, select a content material format that’s immediately related. Our knowledge helps you uncover the content material that finest appeals to totally different client teams – from Gen X’s desire for in-store shows, to Gen Z’s love of interactive adverts.
Create campaigns that hit residence
Now you already know 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 are tuned in and tailor-made, driving actual engagement the place it issues most.
Keep on prime of what’s subsequent
Traits change quick. Staying forward of shifts in discovery habits is vital to making sure your model’s precisely the place persons are wanting. By monitoring rising channels and adapting your model discovery technique, you’ll attain audiences when and the place it issues most, maintaining your model related and prime of thoughts.
What can TikTok educate us about model discovery?
Assume TikTok’s only for leisure? Assume once more.
TikTok’s personal knowledge prompt 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 group 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 normal 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 knowledge to assist their findings, TikTok may now place itself as a helpful channel for manufacturers seeking to attain influential decision-makers within the GCC.
Key takeaways
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 diversified generational preferences, a profitable technique needs to be dynamic, adaptive, and data-led to seize consideration and drive significant engagement.
Prepared to maneuver past primary focusing on and pinpoint your supreme viewers with adverts they’ll’t ignore? You want our media planning information.
Model discovery FAQs
How do I enhance my model discovery technique?
Give attention to understanding your viewers’s go-to channels, then create content material that captures their consideration. Monitor what’s working and sustain with shifting client developments to verify your method stays efficient.
What channels ought to I deal with for model discovery?
Channels range by viewers: engines like google and TV are broad winners, social media resonates with youthful audiences, and conventional media works properly with older demographics. The secret’s to make use of the best client knowledge to information your selections.
