Focus ON – Romania’s Digital Pulse 2025: What Media Trends Matter Now

As digital behavior continues to evolve, brands in Romania are facing a more complex, fragmented, and opportunity-rich media landscape.

Now in its 9th edition, the Focus ON: New Media Adoption study, conducted by Spark Foundry, a media agency part of Publicis Groupe Romania, presents the latest trends in how Romanians consume media.
The May 2025 wave brings into focus how consumers interact with content, platforms, and brands, and what this means for marketing in the second half of the year.

“In the last period, public attention to all types of media has increased significantly, on the background of the presidential elections and international tensions, noting an increasingly accentuated orientation towards online press and an increased interest of the population in digital platforms as a source of information, instead of using traditional media channels.

At the same time, we see a growing involvement of users in online communities, more and more react to posts in the groups they belong to and choose to join communities to find people with similar interests. In addition, we note that the use of artificial intelligence, especially for Chat, has reached a record level, having already been adopted by half of Internet users in urban areas.” stated Mădălina Bâdea, Head of Data Insights, Spark Foundry.

Here are the top trends marketers should have on their radar:

1. Social Media: Not just for fun anymore

While relaxation remains the top reason people scroll through social platforms, one shift stands out: more Romanians are using social media to discover and evaluate products. This signals a maturing of social as a commerce channel, not just a communication one.
For younger users (18–34), platforms are increasingly part of the purchase journey. For older users (55+), social is still about staying connected with friends and family.

2. Platform dynamics are being reshaped 

The top 3 remain stable — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok — but TikTok and Instagram are growing fast. Younger audiences are diversifying, spending more time on Reddit, X (Twitter), Pinterest, and Snapchat. LinkedIn has gained traction among professionals aged 35–44. Platform choice is more generational than ever.
Each age group builds its digital routine around different tools and content formats.

3. Content preferences – visual still reigns

Images and short videos are the most consumed formats. Live streaming, interactive formats, and stories perform best with Gen Z. Older audiences prefer articles, while 25–34 y/o like GIFs and rich media.
Key for brands: match format to audience, not platform to platform.

4. From social to store – social commerce gets real

Romanians aren’t just browsing, they’re buying:

• 82% appreciate being able to see product prices via tags on social posts;
• 81% click through to the brand’s page without needing to leave the app;
• buying via Facebook Shops and Instagram has grown significantly.

The frictionless path from content to checkout is no longer a luxury, it’s expected.

5. AI is mainstream, but still divisive

Half of urban internet users now use AI tools: chatbots, image generators, document analyzers. Usage is highest among 18–34 y/o, but even older groups are exploring image-based AI. That said, trust is mixed: many still see AI-generated visuals as fake or misleading, while others view them as creative and interesting.
Brands using AI visuals need to balance innovation with transparency.

6. Podcasts, audio, and a return to privacy

Audio platforms are appreciated for privacy and authenticity. Podcast listenership is steady, especially for interviews, TV entertainment and health. Expectations are shifting toward low-pressure, on-demand formats that fit into flexible schedules.

7. Gaming is growing, and getting more nuanced

Mobile gaming leads across age groups; younger players (18–24) stream their gameplay or play with friends. Older users prefer easygoing, free, solo games. The top drivers? Graphics, storyline, and the ability to customize.
For brands targeting gamers, it’s about experience-first, not just reach.

8. Trust and discovery – who wins?

Trust still lies with the source of the news, especially for people aged 18–24 or 55+. But younger users are reshaping discovery channels: 40% replaced traditional media with Facebook, 32% with TikTok, and 29% with Instagram and WhatsApp.
Social is no longer just entertainment; it’s the new information layer.

9. Smart TVs, short videos, and the new living room

Nearly 90% of urban users own a Smart TV, and over 1 in 3 watch online content exclusively on them; users prefer short videos (<1 min). Most urban internet users (67%) watch ads while viewing TV channels on their Smart TVs, a share that continues to grow. There’s also an upward trend for ads watched during online video viewing. In contrast, ad exposure while navigating menus for opening apps on Smart TVs is declining.
Viewing is often family-based and now includes social engagement during shows.

10. Search behavior – beyond Google

Classic text search is declining, and users now explore products directly in TikTok and Instagram, through voice or image search, and on retailers’ own websites. Younger users are redefining how and where discovery happens.

Final takeaway

Romanians in 2025 are more digital, more purposeful, and more segmented than ever. Platform use, content preference, and trust signals vary sharply by age, and brands that want to stay relevant need to act on micro-insights, not macro-trends.

From tagged social commerce to AI-powered content, the tools are here. The real challenge? Using them with clarity, purpose, and audience empathy.

The short version of the study is available for download. For full insights, reach out at contact@dataintelligence.ro. This new wave of research explores age-based shifts in media consumption, how people are adopting AI-powered chat features, their perceptions of AI-generated visuals, the types of news content they engage with, and the factors that influence their trust in information – offering a deeper look at today’s digital behaviors.

Methodology
The study was conducted by the Data Intelligence team of the media agency Spark Foundry, using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviews) method, on a sample of 806 male and female internet users aged 18 and older, living in urban areas, during the period of May 26-30, 2025.