April, 2023: As we all witnessed during the Covid-19 Pandemic, the online marketplace has become an essential component in maintaining the global economy. This has led to a tremendous surge in the online retail and e-commerce industry worldwide, with Germany being no exception. In fact, the German market has seen a rise in the number of digital brands utilising this opportunity to expand their reach and establish their presence.

In 2022, many digital brands became household names, and that trend is only set to increase in 2023. As more people rely on online shopping for their daily needs, businesses have been forced to adapt to the changing market landscape. One key requirement for this process is understanding the consumer and their perception of your brand. To tackle this challenge DCMN’s Brand Tracker conducts a monthly study, analysing 330 brands among 2,000 German consumers –  from established global players such as Amazon and eBay, to companies like Zalando and Check24, who are staying within the boundaries of the European Union, but are making huge strides in that market. We have just released our analysis for the period January to December 2022 and here are the best-known brands with digital focus in Germany.

The Frontrunners: Entertainment, Home Furniture & Social Networking

From the 330 brands in the study, the top twenty best-known brands in Germany fall into the entertainment, home furniture and social networking categories predominantly. IKEA is the most prominent furniture brand, while YouTube is the most well-known entertainment brand and social network. Online payment company Paypal and hotel booking websites like Trivago and Booking.com also rank among the top best-known digital brands in Germany.

Shifts in Brand Awareness: Top Digital Brands Experience Double-Digit Declines

While all companies on the list have strong brand awareness, some saw a significant decline of over 10 percentage points from January to December 2022. Brands on the decline include streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, food delivery service Lieferando, online fashion retailer Zalando, and social media platforms Facebook and YouTube. 

New Players on the Rise

Despite many brands losing popularity in Germany, some are on the rise, seeing an increase in awareness of 8-13 percentage points. This group is led by the globally popular food delivery services UberEats, Flink and Wolt, followed by the online pharmacy Aponeo, VPN company NordVPN, and banking service N26.

Takeaways

While global players like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Facebook maintain their top positioning in Germany, they struggle to sustain their high brand awareness levels. All the while, new players are finding ways to disrupt the market and gain significant awareness.

The study’s findings highlight the fact that building a robust brand image is crucial in the digital age. With a growing number of consumers turning to the internet for shopping, communication, and media consumption, companies must invest in creating a solid digital presence to thrive. 

A comprehensive marketing strategy that accounts for the digital landscape’s distinct features is required, in addition to having a strong online presence. Companies that prioritise these elements will be well-prepared to excel in the current market.

Why Look at Brand Trends?

“The volatile nature of the market requires swift adjustments to branding and marketing strategies, and more than ever, makes it crucial for companies of any size and stage to grasp the market trends, consumer behaviour, and competitors’ activities. Consistent and systematic brand monitoring serves as a foundation for devising and adjusting effective strategies” Based on this understanding, we continuously monitor brands with our Brand Tracker, analyse their performance, and provide valuable insights to facilitate the growth of tomorrow’s market leaders.” commented  Tugce Yilmaz, Senior Insight Manager at DCMN.

Methodology

DCMN’s Band Tracker surveys 2,000 German consumers each month to track nearly 350 brands on metrics such as brand awareness, brand consideration, and brand perception across 20 industries. Focusing on digital brands and startups, the Brand Tracker offers important insights for emerging companies and helps them to measure themselves against their large and small competitors. 

You want to know where your brand ranks in terms of brand awareness, consideration and perception among the German consumers? Just contact us and we’d be happy to help.