Social Media as the New Brand Discovery

Interesting changing statistics.  In Retailwire:

Is social media taking over brand discovery?
" ... Word-of-mouth (62 percent) edges TV ads (61 percent) and online ads (61 percent) as the leading way by which teens hear about new brands, according to a survey from Ebates. The results indicate that, while physical stores (58 percent) are among the leading methods of brand awareness for teens, social media also has a significant role to play. ... "