Shifts in behavior challenge marketers to rethink ways
More Filipino youth are discovering brands through non-digital formats while Gen X are increasingly finding out about new brands on mobile games and online ads, according to a recent report from the Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines (DMAP).
During the association’s first General Membership Meeting at The Atrium at Enderun in Taguig, DMAP President Miko David shared that billboard ads (+30.8%) and word of mouth (+22.4%) saw a surge among Filipinos aged 16 to 24 years old for brand discovery.
Similarly, ads on mobile games (+45.4%) and search engine queries (+37.2%) have seen an exponential growth for brand discovery among Filipinos aged 45 to 54.
Ads on social media still remain at the top of the list for brand discovery for all age ranges.
The DMAP report, titled “State of Digital From a Multi-Dimensional Approach”, studied consumer and media habits, as well as platform planning data specific to the Philippines from October 2024 to December 2025.
“The significant changes in consumer behavior, especially on how Filipinos discover brands, challenge us marketers to navigate a complex balance between traditional and digital platforms. These shifts demand the industry to rethink conventional wisdom and explore avenues for meaningful visibility and discoverability,” David said.
The report also showed that generative AI tools ChatGPT and Gemini achieved a combined unique reach of 16.8 million Filipino users last year, while seeing an influx among Gen X and millennial users. According to David, this marks a shift in the mindset of Filipinos on AI to view these tools as a “teammate.”
Despite the growing adoption of AI tools, David noted the significant gap in professional digital fluency. While Facebook commands an 88% visit share, only 17.3% of unique monthly visits are directed toward Facebook Ads Manager, suggesting that many marketers are still operating within basic business interfaces rather than advanced advertising tools.
Given this, David emphasized the need for capability to collaborate across various resources and AI tools. “Marketers must become cross-platform fluent. The goal is to embrace the new teams in the arena, wherein AI acts as a collaborator to navigate changes in the landscape,” he said.
During the meeting, “Interoperability: Welcome to the Age of Collaboration” was also revealed to be the theme for DMAP’s Digicon 2026, the annual digital marketing conference in the Philippines happening at the Marriott Grand Ballroom on October 15 and 16. DMAP also launched plans for the Boomerang Awards and the Digital Young Creators community for 2026.
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