In today’s world, it’s hard to imagine a life without the internet and its influence. The way businesses are done, the way consumers behave are impacted by the internet too. Sales, purchases, marketing, brand discovery –  there is a shift in every aspect.

A friend wanted to purchase a new pair of football shoes from PUMA, his favourite brand. He liked a design on their website but had gift coupons for in-store purchases. He called the nearest PUMA store to check if they had the same design. Once confirmed, he went to the store and bought the shoes.

In this way, a change is seen in consumer behaviour too — they try to make the best use of both options, online and offline. Online shopping has gained a lot of popularity. Yet, having a physical store can make brands continuously visible and accessible to consumers.

Let us know more about the evolution in brand discovery.

To start with, let’s explore how people used to find out about brands before –

We all remember that one retail shop close to our houses where our parents bought monthly groceries. Physical retail stores served as the primary touchpoint for consumers to explore new brands. Personal recommendations carried and still carries a lot of weightage. It often led us to try out a new brand suggested by a friend or neighbour.

Radio jingles and TV commercials emerged as a powerful tool for brand building, with companies investing in catchy tunes, captivating storylines and memorable characters to promote their products or services.

How can we forget the lively tunes of “Washing powder Nirma,” “Lifebouy hai jahan tandurusti hai vahan,” “Hamara Bajaj,” and “Kuch Khaas Hai” song campaign of Cadbury Dairy Milk?

Lalithaji from Surf Excel Ad, the Liril girl, the “Jalebi” boy from Dhara oil Ad – all of them are still fresh in our memory.

Brands that appeared in newspapers and magazines had compelling visuals and catchy slogans to capture the attention of readers. Today, how many of us subscribe for a newspaper or a magazine? The number has come down!

With larger-than-life size and eye-catching designs, posters and billboards were and are effective in grabbing the attention of passers-by and thus brands target daily commuters for repeated exposure.

Branding also involves strategic partnerships and sponsorships with events and celebrities to enhance brand visibility and credibility.

• Pepsi’s energetic campaigns featuring popular Bollywood actors and cricketers as brand ambassadors and its famous jingle “Yeh Dil Maange More!” struck a chord with the youth of those days.
• Lux, a renowned beauty soap brand, embraced celebrity endorsements from leading Bollywood actresses such as Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, and Aishwarya Rai to project an image of glamour and sophistication.

So, how did the internet era change the ecosystem?

Online shopping in India emerged in the early 2000s, propelled by platforms like eBay India and Rediff Shopping. Flipkart’s entry in 2007 revolutionized the sector further. With the advent of secure payment gateways, improved logistics, and increased internet penetration, online shopping became more accessible and popular across the country. In response, brand discovery evolved from traditional advertising to digital marketing strategies, leveraging social media to reach the consumers effectively.

Ms. Bharathi B, the Country Head and Director of Shopify India, sheds light on the changing landscape of online shopping – “Around 2015, Indian E-commerce hit the $10 billion annual mark and in that process the first D2C brands were born. Many Companies started adapting the E-commerce platforms and by 2020, traditional brands, had learned the ropes of E-commerce and we were the market places. They had realised that a lot of discovery is moving online and their brand.com becomes very important to set the right narrative and context for the right discovery process, no matter where you sell.”

As per a survey conducted by PWC on consumer preferences and how India shops online,

• 60% of the surveyed respondents prefer using apps to shop online.
• 62% of the respondents tried new brands after watching on social media.

How do shopping apps and social media platforms help in brand discovery?

Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok serve as key channels for brand discovery, allowing users to explore products through visual content, influencer recommendations, and targeted advertisements.

Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay allow brands to showcase their products to a global audience. Blogs, articles, videos, and podcasts created by brands provide valuable information to attract and engage audiences, thereby fostering brand awareness. Airbnb’s “Airbnb Magazine” features travel guides, destination highlights, and stories from hosts and guests, creating immersive content that resonates with its community.

Influencers like Technical Guruji (Gaurav Chaudhary) and BeerBiceps (Ranveer Allahbadia) often feature Amazon’s bestselling products in their reviews and recommendations, influencing their followers’ purchase decisions.

It’s difficult to imagine our daily routines without the convenience of apps such as Flipkart, Paytm, Swiggy, Bigbasket, Uber, etc., as they have become integral parts of our lives. Brands develop such dedicated mobile apps to offer convenience, personalized experiences, and exclusive offers to users, strengthening customer engagement and loyalty.

Mr. Arjun Vaidya of V3 Ventures, shares his experience of digitalizing his dad’s 30-year-old jewellery business by setting up an online store and marketing it through Instagram reels. He says, “Now 22% of their business is digital or digitally assisted, out of 22% maybe only 10-15% is swipe card online. But a lot of people set up virtual/zoom appointments, discover the product online and then come to the store and buy. So the discovery process is happening online”

From traditional to hybrid methods of shopping, taking advantage of both the worlds (online offline) is the mantra today. In short, the evolution of brand discovery reflects the transformative impact of technology and changing consumer preferences. While traditional methods are still relevant for initial stages of brand exploration, the new age platforms have reshaped the way consumers discover, interact with, and purchase from brands. Thus, brands must adapt their strategies to meet evolving consumer expectations and leverage the full potential of digital channels to survive and succeed.