After polling more than 29,000 respondents from 58 countries, a new Nielsen survey found that a blend of media and word-of-mouth advertising results in the greatest consumer awareness for new products.
Moreover, Nielsen indicated that while sampling and traditional media continue to be critical to brand growth, social media and Internet communication is growing in importance, and quickly becoming a key element for a marketing mix.
Regarding traditional advertising methods, Nielsen’s survey found that 72 percent of consumers learn about new products after seeing it in a store, 70 percent say the same after a free sample, 59 percent cite television advertisements, and only 34 percent of consumers discover new products from marketing emails.
Considering word-of-mouth communication, 77 percent of consumers discover new products from friends and family, 66 percent do so from a professional expert, and 55 percent from work-related discussion.
Through the Internet, 67 percent of consumers learn about new products with an active search, 55 percent do so through a brand or manufacturer’s website, and 43 percent from social media.
On the mobile front, 27 percent of consumers say they learn about new products from text messages.
