A new report from the Insights Family finds word of mouth continues to be the key driver behind brand discovery for kids in the social media age
Word of mouth remains the core driver of brand discovery for kids, according to a new report from The Insights Family, which digs into the impact of peer influence, social media and advertising.
Peer influence continues to be the dominant force in brand discovery, becoming a significant driver of brand awareness, the report finds. Within this landscape, advertising plays a different role. It’s more of a trigger for exploration, validation and conversation. Discovery of new brands and content by kids in the UK is increasingly shaped by a combination of advertising, peer influence and active pathway exploration.
Peer influence remains the dominant factor in brand discovery, with 29 per cent of kids finding out about new brands through friends (up 10 per cent vs Q4 2025 and up 10 per cent vs Q2 2025). Word-of-mouth is now the primary discovery engine, meaning brands need to make their products easy to communicate between friends and family.
Read the full report below:
