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Generative AI is everywhere now. You see it in content, campaigns, customer experiences, and even internal workflows. It promises speed, scale, and efficiency, but there’s a harder question sitting underneath all that progress; Do your audiences actually trust it?

Trust in the Age of AI: What Consumers Really Think About AI Generated Content

Today, PR teams aren’t just tracking media coverage and share of voice. They’re also measuring how their brand shows up in AI-generated answers, search summaries, and large language models (LLMs). This new LLM visibility layer is quickly becoming a critical part of PR performance.

15 Must-Have PR KPIs and How to Track Them

See how one platform can power every decision across PR, communications, and marketing.

The Meltwater Blog

Blog Topics: Generative Engine Optimization, Media Intelligence, Media Relations, Social Listening, Consumer Intelligence, Influencer Marketing

Find out how you can leverage Facebook to boost your brand's online presence and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

Facebook Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage Instagram to boost your brand's visual appeal and gain a competitive edge. Explore our category page today!

Instagram Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage LinkedIN to grow your professional network and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

LinkedIn Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage TikTok to elevate your brand with creative content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

TikTok Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage X / Twitter to engage your audience effectively and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

X / Twitter Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage YouTube to create engaging video content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

YouTube Blog | Meltwater

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how brands show up in AI-powered search. Explore insights, strategies, and best practices to help your content rank and resonate across conversational engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

Explore insights and strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help your brand stay visible and discoverable in AI-powered search.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Blog Collection | Meltwater

Every day billions of conversations take place on social media: tweets, posts, comments, blogs, reviews, podcasts, and much more.
Learn how to use social listening to make sense of all of that data.

On our social listening category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around social listening and social media monitoring. Read more.

Social Listening Blogs | Category

Business Reputation Management: What does it take to add reputation management to your marketing strategy? More importantly, how do you keep your reputation sparkly and shiny? Here’s your all-access guide to online reputation management for the long term.

On our reputation management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around business reputation management. Read more.

Reputation Management Blogs | Category

From your brand's logo to your website, your social media presence to your customer support—these elements combined are what constitutes a brand in the minds of customers. But, there are thousands of other businesses that have a logo, website, social media presence, and website. So, how can you position your business on the market and make it stand out from the competition?
The key to success is branding & brand management!

On our brand management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around brand management. Build your strategy and reach your goals!

Brand Management Blogs | Category

Competitive intelligence and the act of collecting competitive data can be seen as growth drivers for a company. Our guide will help you understand the concept of competitive intelligence (CI) by answering questions such as: What is the definition of competitive intelligence? How is competitive intelligence useful to organizations? What is the goal of competitive intelligence? And more.

On our competitive intelligence category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around competitive intelligence. Learn how to stay ahead.

Competitive Intelligence Blogs | Category

Let’s dive into the customer journey framework and how to optimize the process by creating a customer journey map and using metrics that matter when analyzing the customer journey.

On our customer journey category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Customer Journey Blogs | Category

What Is Data Analytics? [Beginner’s Guide 2023]
How can I grow my business? 
How do customers interact with my newly launched product?
How do I increase the productivity of my employees?
How do I know if my marketing efforts are working?
We have just two words for you...Data analytics!

On our data analytics category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around AI and data analytics. Technical and still easy to understand.

AI & Data Analytics Blogs | Category

Public relations and media relations can add impact to any marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity for brands to grow their reach beyond traditional sales messages. PR helps to shape the image you want people to have of your brand.
So, what is PR and how do you use it? This guide shows you everything you need to know to build a strong public relations foundation.

On our public relations (PR) category page, you find all our blogs covering public relations and communications topics. Step up your PR game.

Public Relations (PR) Blogs | Category

We all know exactly what the roles of sales or accounting are in a company, right? We might even have a slight idea of what the IT guys are doing.
But there is another business discipline, that plays a crucial role in organizations, even more so during the pandemic – internal communications!
But what exactly do we mean by that, what purpose does it serve and what steps can you take to ensure you and your employees will communicate effectively?

On our internal communications category page, you find all our blogs about internal comms topics. Learn about the intranet, internal newsletters, and more.

Internal Communications Blogs | Category

As the internet has taken root in more areas of our lives — everything from entertainment to shopping to paying bills and more — traditional marketing is becoming less impactful. As any marketer knows, you need to focus on where your audience is if you want to reach them. Since the average person spends about seven hours a day online, it’s no surprise that content has maintained its hold on marketers.

Here's a closer look at what content marketing is and why it matters more than ever in our digital-first economy.

On our content marketing category page, you find blogs about content marketing topics. Learn about strategies, KPIs, tips, and more. Make your content king!

Content Marketing Blogs | Category

The rise of the influencer marketing space – today a $10 billion industry, growing 50% per year – is one of the clearest examples of how social media is transforming traditional marketing. These days having a business website, presence on social, PR coverage, and your own content isn’t enough to compete.
We'll dive into the intricacies of influencer marketing to help ensure that you're equipped with the insights needed to be successful in this space.

On our influencer marketing category page, you find blogs about influencer marketing topics. Build your strategy, find influencers, and measure results.

Influencer Marketing Blogs | Category

Have you just launched a new product or service that you want to get the word out about? Maybe you want to share with consumers why it is awesome and how it is so much better than the one your competitors offer.

Well, then, there is one thing you can't do without...Marketing!

On our marketing category page, you find blogs about marketing topics. Learn about all the different angles and types of marketing and improve your results.

Marketing Blogs | Category

In this guide, we want to give you a peek into the definition of social media management, the daily schedule of a social media manager, social media platforms to promote your business, and the do’s & don’ts of social media management.
Are you ready to begin the journey of becoming a social media superstar?

On our social media management category page, you find blogs about social media management topics. Build and manage your online community.

Social Media Management Blogs | Category

Building a following and using social media platforms to reach a wider audience requires a well-planned social media marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll be looking at why social media marketing is so essential and how you can make it work for your business.

On our social media marketing category page, you find blogs about social media marketing topics. Learn how to get the highest paid social ROI!

Social Media Marketing Blogs | Category

In the fast-evolving realm of digital marketing and public relations, utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Our interdisciplinary category showcases all the pertinent tools for digital marketing & PR. These tools help in enhancing your online presence and effectively reaching target groups, whether through reputation management, influencer marketing, or social media management.

On our digital marketing and PR tools category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Digital Marketing & PR Tools Blogs | Category

BTS is officially back, but according to the data, hype surrounding the massive K-pop group never really left. Though the group went on hiatus in 2022 so that its seven members — Jung Kook, V, Jimin, RM, Suga, Jin, and j-hope — could complete mandatory service in the South Korean military, BTS fan enthusiasm remained strong. 

Our social listening analysis found that since March 2025, the group and its members have generated about 25 million mentions across traditional, digital, and social media channels. About two-thirds of those mentions occurred before January, several weeks ahead of their highly anticipated comeback.

Marked by their new album Arirang, a Netflix-streamed concert in Seoul, and many high-profile media appearances, BTS’s return boosted an already ongoing, global, fan-driven digital phenomenon. Here’s what the numbers reveal about the impact of BTS’s return to the world stage. 

#BTSArmy Drives the Band’s Sustained Visibility

Chatter from BTS fan communities on social media eclipses the band’s media coverage. Over the past year, social and community platforms accounted for over 90% of all BTS mentions, while traditional media contributed only a marginal share. Meanwhile, the group’s fan base, known as the BTS Army or Army for short, achieved about 4.6% SOV in the overall swirl of discussion.

Though BTS was technically on pause for most of the past year, fans still had plenty to discuss and bond over online. First, the June 2025 announcement that the band would reunite drove about a 73% spike in mentions compared to the previous month. Buzz also grew that October, as each of BTS’s members continued their solo music careers and starred in high-profile ad campaigns. 

Jung Kook’s October 2025 Calvin Klein campaign amplified BTS’s visibility ahead of their comeback. This one TikTok from the campaign generated about 6.3 million likes.

In January, the announcement of the 2026 BTS world tour also boosted buzz to 2.38 million mentions that month, or about 9.5% of total conversation over the past year. Finally, the band’s March comeback album, single, and Netflix concert drove about a 15% surge in discussion, driving conversation to levels more than 4.5x higher than March 2025.

Overall, BTS’s comeback generated about 3.59 million mentions, about 14% of the total conversation surrounding them over the past year. So while the group’s return is big news, it is merely raising a massive, ongoing wave of conversation rather than spiking it. 

BTS is known as one of the first K-pop groups to achieve crossover success around the world. Thirteen years after their debut, that widespread success still stands. Japan, China, and the US all had higher volumes of BTS mentions than South Korea over the past year. 

The geographic distribution of BTS conversation speaks to the group’s ability to maintain loyal fan communities outside of in-person shows and appearances. For example, the group’s world tour is not stopping in Mainland China, which, nevertheless, still generated the second-highest volume of BTS mentions. Meanwhile, though the group’s recent Seoul concert reportedly had disappointing attendance figures, South Korea still generated the fourth-highest volume of BTS mentions over the past year. 

For brands and marketers, BTS’s global footprint drives home just how much modern-day audience connection thrives on digital community and activation much more than physical presence. At least for megastars.

Netflix’s social content promoting its BTS comeback concert went viral. The above post generated over 6.2 million likes in less than a week.

Though fans are the driving force behind BTS’s global visibility, brand and platform partnerships helped amplify their comeback. For example, the group partnered with Spotify to promote Arirang with in-app and live experiences. As a result, mentions of the music platform comprised 4.5% of the total BTS conversation over the past year. 

Meanwhile, Netflix exclusively streamed the group’s Seoul comeback concert, drawing 18.4 million viewers. That partnership helped the platform capture about 1.1% of BTS mentions. 

BTS’s comeback speaks to the importance and power of digital fan communities, particularly in the world of entertainment. The group undoubtedly returned to the world stage with a splash, but that success was thanks to its global Army that provided a digital audience, even when IRL ones didn’t materialize.

For marketers, the lesson is clear: lasting impact comes from investing in communities and creating digital moments that audiences can feel part of. Not every brand can achieve BTS-level global domination, but they can cultivate community in big and small ways that make their biggest fans feel seen. 

FAQ: BTS Comeback & Social Listening Insights

What does social listening reveal about BTS’s 2026 comeback?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback shows that the group generated approximately 25 million mentions over the past year, with the majority occurring before their official return. This indicates that fan-driven conversation sustained global interest even during their hiatus.

How much of the conversation around BTS is driven by fans?

According to Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback, over 90% of all mentions came from social and community platforms, highlighting the BTS Army’s critical role in driving ongoing visibility and engagement.

Which moments drove the biggest spikes in BTS conversation?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback found that key moments—such as the June 2025 reunion announcement, solo member campaigns, the 2026 world tour announcement, and the March comeback events—triggered significant surges in mentions, including a sharp increase leading up to and immediately following their return.

How global is BTS’s online conversation?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback shows that conversation is truly global, with countries like Japan, China, and the United States generating more mentions than South Korea, demonstrating the group’s widespread international fan base.

What role did brand partnerships play in amplifying BTS’s comeback?

Based on Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback, partnerships with platforms like Spotify and Netflix contributed to increased visibility by integrating BTS into fan experiences, with each platform capturing a measurable share of total conversation.

What can marketers learn from BTS’s comeback?

Meltwater’s social listening analysis of BTS’s comeback underscores that sustained engagement comes from active, digitally connected communities. Brands can learn that building long-term audience relationships and enabling participation is more impactful than relying solely on major campaign moments.

BTS Comeback 2026: Insights on Global Fan Power

With AI quickly becoming the first stop for trip planning, LLM recommendations are driving which brands travelers choose for their vacation plans. In our previous analysis, we saw how prompts about hotel deals surface a handful of globally recognized online booking websites. For this investigation, we turned our attention from hotels to airlines to see which brands achieved the highest visibility in answers to the prompt: What are the best airline deals to travel around Europe in spring 2026?

Using GenAI Lens, we analyzed responses across eight leading LLMs  — ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Grok, Llama, and Perplexity — from February 24 to March 17, 2026. The results revealed how low-cost carriers dominate AI-driven discovery, while legacy airlines fall behind in reaching high-intent, budget-conscious consumers. 

AI Models Prioritize Low-Cost Airlines in Spring Break Flight Deal Searches

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  <div style="padding:16px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000;">Airline Performance Overview</div>
  </div>

  
  <div style="padding:0 16px 16px 16px;">
    <table style="width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;table-layout:fixed;font-size:14px;color:#4c4d4f;text-align:center;">

      
      <tr>
        <th style="padding:12px;">Visibility Ranking</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;">Airlines</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;">Visibility Score</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;background:#eef3f7;">Total Mentions</th>
        <th style="padding:12px;">Prevalence Score</th>
      </tr>

      

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>1</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Ryanair</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="88 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">88%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">283 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="78 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">78%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>2</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">easyJet</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="87 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">87%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">237 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="77 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">77%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>3</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Wizz Air</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="81 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">81%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">198 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#28bbbb" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="72 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">72%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>4</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Vueling</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="48 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">48%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">96 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="49 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">49%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>5</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">British Airways</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="31 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">31%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">54 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="30 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">30%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>6</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Lufthansa</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="26 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">26%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">44 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="27 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">27%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>7</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Eurowings</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="25 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">25%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">42 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="23 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">23%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>8</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">KLM Royal Dutch Airlines</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="16 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">16%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">24 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="13 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">13%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>9</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Air France</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="16 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">16%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">22 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="14 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">14%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="border-top:1px solid #eaeaea;height:64px;">
        <td>10</td>
        <td style="font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Transavia</td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="16 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">16%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
        <td style="background:#eef3f7;">19 </td>
        <td>
          <svg width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 36 36">
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#eaeaea" stroke-width="4" fill="none"/>
            <circle cx="18" cy="18" r="16" stroke="#ff6221" stroke-width="4" fill="none" stroke-dasharray="13 100" stroke-linecap="round" transform="rotate(-90 18 18)"/>
            <text x="18" y="21" text-anchor="middle" font-size="10" fill="#000">13%</text>
          </svg>
        </td>
      </tr>

    </table>
  </div>
</div>

Ryanair and easyJet dominated in LLM visibility through a combination of frequent, prominent mentions and high prevalence across responses. Ryanair led with 88% visibility, closely followed by easyJet at 87% thanks to frequent, prominent mentions, often in the beginnings of AI-generated answers. 

By contrast, LLMs mentioned legacy carriers like British Airways (31% visibility), Lufthansa (26%), KLM (16%), and Air France (16%) much less consistently, frequently, and prominently. 

These rankings bode well for budget airlines, confirming their high visibility to cost-conscious customers, but less so for legacy airlines, which LLMs framed as secondary options during the critical discovery stage. 

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  <div style="padding:16px 20px 8px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000;">Brands performance by model</div>
  </div>

  
  <div style="padding:8px 16px 8px 16px;">
    <table style="width:100%;table-layout:fixed;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:6px;font-size:10px;color:#4c4d4f;text-align:center;">

      
      <tr>
        <th style="text-align:left;"> </th>
        <th>Gemini</th>
        <th>Grok</th>
        <th>Perplexity</th>
        <th>Llama</th>
        <th>DeepSeek</th>
        <th>ChatGPT</th>
        <th>Claude</th>
        <th>Google AI Overview</th>
      </tr>

      

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Ryanair</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">63</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">99</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">86</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">78</td>
        <td style="background:#2a5fb5;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">93</td>
        <td style="background:#7f9fc9;border-radius:6px;color:#fff;">42</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">easyJet</td>
        <td style="background:#6f95c5;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">52</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">99</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">81</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">78</td>
        <td style="background:#2a5fb5;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">92</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">39</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Wizz Air</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">61</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#7f9fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">53</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#1e4fa0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">98</td>
        <td style="background:#4a82c6;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">67</td>
        <td style="background:#3f78c2;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">83</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">39</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Vueling</td>
        <td style="background:#9fb4cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">35</td>
        <td style="background:#2f6fbf;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">85</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">51</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#4a82c6;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">73</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">56</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">58</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">28</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">British Airways</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">21</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">33</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">60</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">30</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#c7d2de;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">17</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">22</td>
        <td style="background:#5f8fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">60</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Lufthansa</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">41</td>
        <td style="background:#9fb4cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">38</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">42</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">23</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">26</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">22</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">11</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Eurowings</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">40</td>
        <td style="background:#7f9fc9;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">47</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">18</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#9fb4cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">38</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">30</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">14</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">KLM Royal Dutch Airlines</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">7</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">48</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">18</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">19</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Transavia</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">19</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">12</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">33</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">11</td>
        <td style="background:#d5dde7;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">15</td>
      </tr>

      
      <tr style="height:52px;">
        <td style="text-align:left;font-weight:600;color:#28bbbb;">Air France</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">7</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">8</td>
        <td style="background:#aabbd0;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">31</td>
        <td style="background:#8aa6cc;color:#fff;border-radius:6px;">42</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">6</td>
        <td style="background:#b7c5d6;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">21</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
        <td style="background:#eaeaea;color:#4c4d4f;border-radius:6px;">0</td>
      </tr>

    </table>
  </div>

  
  <div style="padding:12px 20px 16px 20px;">
    <div style="height:10px;border-radius:6px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#eaeaea,#9fb4cc,#5f8fc9,#2f6fbf,#1e4fa0);margin-bottom:6px;"></div>
    <div style="display:flex;justify-content:space-between;font-size:11px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      <span>0–11</span>
      <span>11–19</span>
      <span>19–33</span>
      <span>33–51</span>
      <span>51–81</span>
      <span>81–99</span>
    </div>
  </div>

</div>

As always though, LLM recommendations were far from uniform. With visibility varying significantly across models, consumers’ exposure to airlines appears to be highly dependent on which models they use. For example, while Ryanair was highly visible on Grok (99%), DeepSeek (98%), and Claude (93%), it was much less so on Google’s Gemini (63%) and AI Overviews (42%). Instead, on AI Overviews, arguably one of the more prominent platforms for the everyday consumer, British Airways scored highest with 60% visibility.

Overall, Grok, DeepSeek, and Claude recommended low-cost airlines more aggressively for the best flight deals, while Perplexity and Google AI Overviews mentioned a slightly wider range of brands. 

Strategic Takeaway: For legacy and hybrid carriers targeting cost-conscious travelers, and indeed for brands targeting consumers in any industry, optimizing for the LLMs they use most is key to staying competitive. 

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  <div style="padding:16px 20px 8px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000000;margin-bottom:4px;">
      Airline Brand Sentiment Overview
    </div>
    <div style="font-size:13px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      Visibility, sentiment drivers, and strategic implications across major European airlines
    </div>
  </div>
  
  
  <div style="padding:8px 16px 16px 16px;">
    <table cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;font-size:14px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Brand</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Visibility</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Positive Sentiment Drivers</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Negative Sentiment Drivers</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">What It Means</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Ryanair</td>
          <td>88%</td>
          <td>Very strong on price and network coverage</td>
          <td>Highest negatives (17) driven by fees, baggage, and add-ons</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">High visibility amplifies trade-offs</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">easyJet</td>
          <td>87%</td>
          <td>Price + convenience (main airports, flexibility, usability)</td>
          <td>Fee-related concerns (13) but less severe</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Best balance of value + experience</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Wizz Air</td>
          <td>81%</td>
          <td>Low fares and strong Eastern Europe coverage</td>
          <td>Fees, baggage costs, and add-ons (13)</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Strong value but trust gap</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Vueling</td>
          <td>48%</td>
          <td>Competitive pricing and strong regional routes</td>
          <td>Fees and ancillary costs (lower volume)</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Good perception but low scale</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">British Airways</td>
          <td>31%</td>
          <td>More stable experience, fewer complaints</td>
          <td>Limited negatives but weak link to “deals”</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Not seen as value</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Lufthansa</td>
          <td>26%</td>
          <td>Reliability and full-service quality</td>
          <td>Minimal negatives but low relevance to deals</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Strong equity but low inclusion</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Air France / KLM</td>
          <td>~16%</td>
          <td>Balanced, fewer negatives</td>
          <td>Very low negatives but also low presence</td>
          <td style="font-weight:500;color:#000000;">Missing from “deals” conversation</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </div>

</div>

Being recommendations, LLMs inherently had more praise than critique for the airlines they mentioned. However, responses were not 100% positive, nor did they highlight the same qualities across airlines.

LLMs positively mentioned Ryanair’s and easyJet’s prices, route availability, and flight frequency. Plus, easyJet enjoyed additional praise for its airport access, ease of use, and flexibility. Wizz Air stood out for its strong Eastern/Central Europe coverage, and Vueling for its strength in Southern Europe. Overall, outside of just low fares, AI prioritized broad and convenient networks in its recommendations to European spring breakers on a budget.

On the flip side, lack of transparency was a recurring theme in less than favorable brand mentions. LLMs frequently warned consumers to “watch for extra fees” or “check baggage policies”, driving home the narrative low prices come with caveats.

For low-cost carriers, negative sentiment drivers highlight opportunities to build trust through price transparency and simplicity. For legacy airlines, the challenge comes in demonstrating total cost efficiency. 
Strategic Takeaway: Winning the AI-driven discovery game for cost-conscious consumers may depend on ensuring that “deals” are not just seen as cheap, but as genuinely valuable.

Brand Websites Had Limited Influence on LLMs

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  <div style="padding:16px 20px 8px 20px;">
    <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:600;color:#000000;margin-bottom:4px;">
      Top Sources
    </div>
    <div style="font-size:13px;color:#4c4d4f;">
     
    </div>
  </div>
  
  
  <div style="padding:8px 16px 16px 16px;">
    <table cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;font-size:14px;color:#4c4d4f;">
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Website</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Mentions</th>
          <th style="text-align:left;background-color:#c4f4f4;border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea;">Source Type</th>
        
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Kayak.com</td>
         
          <td>63</td>
           <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Momondo.com</td>
          <td>56</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Virginatlantic.com</td>
          <td>55</td>
          <td>Airline</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Thriftytraveler.com</td>
          <td>43</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Resource and News Website</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Expedia.com</td>
          <td>40</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr style="background-color:#f9fefe;">
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Travelocity.com</td>
          <td>39</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>

        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Skyscanner.com</td>
          <td>37</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Easyjet.com</td>
          <td>32</td>
          <td>Airline</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Britishairways.com</td>
          <td>27</td>
          <td>Airline</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="color:#28bbbb;font-weight:600;">Going.com</td>
          <td>27</td>
          <td>Travel Deal Platform</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </div>

</div>

For brands across industries, reshaping LLM narratives begins with developing strategies for the sources that influence them most. In the case of spring break airline deals, travel deal platforms were more influential than brand websites in informing AI-generated responses. They accounted for six of the ten leading sources, led by Kayak with 63 mentions and Momondo with 56 mentions. 

Three brand websites ranked among the top ten sources, including Virgin Atlantic which did not achieve a top visibility score. A lone earned media source, Thrifty Traveler, also made the list, highlighting just how influential niche websites with consistent, expert-informed content can be. 

Collectively, however, LLMs relied far more on aggregator content than on brand-owned messaging when constructing recommendations, likely perceiving them as more objective and useful.  

Strategic Takeaway: First, for airlines, winning in AI requires strong presence in aggregator ecosystems and trusted, niche websites, not just owned channels. Second, brands regardless of industry must ensure that third-party sources accurately reflect their value proposition so that the LLMs that reference them do as well.

As AI increasingly shapes how travelers discover and evaluate options, visibility in LLM responses grows more closely tied to consumer demand. For airlines and travel brands, gaining an edge lies in understanding where, how, and how often you appear compared to competitors. It also requires aligning messaging across the third-party sources LLMs rely on most.

Across industries, the AI era is challenging marketers to pinpoint exactly how these platforms characterize and perpetuate information to a wide range of high-intent buyers. GenAI Lens makes that research feasible at scale, finally giving brands the chance to take control of their AI narrative. 

FAQ: Airline Deals, AI Recommendations, and LLM Visibility

Which airlines have the best deals for Europe travel in spring 2026?

According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of flight deals for spring break, low-cost carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air are most frequently recommended by AI models. These airlines dominate visibility due to their strong association with affordability, route availability, and frequent service across Europe.

How do AI tools decide which airlines to recommend for cheap flights?

Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis shows that LLMs prioritize airlines based on factors like price competitiveness, network coverage, and how often they appear in trusted third-party sources like aggregators and travel deal sites. This means brands with strong presence on platforms like Kayak or Momondo are more likely to be recommended.

Do different AI models recommend different airlines?

Yes. Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of LLM recommendations for spring break airline deals in Europe reveals significant variation across models. For example, Ryanair has near-total visibility on Grok and DeepSeek but is much less prominent on Google AI Overviews, where British Airways performs better. This highlights how airline discovery depends heavily on the AI platform used.

What factors influence airline rankings in AI-generated answers?

According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of LLM recommendations for spring break airline deals, key factors include visibility (how often a brand appears), prevalence (how consistently it’s included), frequency (total mentions), and prominence (placement within responses). Airlines that perform well across all four metrics are more likely to dominate recommendations.

What are the pros and cons of low-cost airlines according to AI?

Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis of LLM recommendations for spring break airline deals shows that AI consistently praised low-cost airlines for price and route coverage, but also flagged drawbacks like extra fees, baggage costs, and pricing complexity. This creates a “cheap but with trade-offs” narrative in AI-generated answers.

Why don’t airline websites influence AI recommendations for flight deals very much?

Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis found that AI models rely heavily on third-party sources like aggregators (e.g., Kayak, Momondo). They potentially perceive these websites as more objective and useful than brand websites.

How can airlines improve their visibility in AI search results for flight deals?

Based on Meltwater’s GenAI Lens insights, airlines can improve visibility by strengthening their presence and consistent value messaging on aggregator platforms.

Why does AI visibility matter for airlines and travel brands?

As highlighted in Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis, AI recommendations have the potential to shape early-stage travel decisions. Airlines that are consistently visible in LLM recommendations have greater exposure to high-intent travelers, likely giving them a competitive advantage in bookings and brand preference.

The European Airlines Dominating LLMs

The start of the Year of the Horse was a critical moment for luxury brands. 2026’s Lunar New Year (LNY) coincides with promising outlooks for the Chinese luxury market. In the sea of campaigns tied to the event, it takes community-minded strategies to grab audience attention.

To learn more, we used Explore+ to examine Lunar New Year-related mentions of 10 major luxury fashion houses — Dior, Tod’s, Prada, Bvlgari, Bottega Veneta, Miu Miu, Celine, Valentino, D&G, and Fendi — across social, online media, and broadcast sources in English and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). 

From January 1 through March 3, Lunar New Year campaigns from these brands generated 3.4 million mentions and 24 million engagement actions. For context, the Winter Olympics generated 3.84 million mentions, placing LNY luxury campaigns on a comparable conversational scale to one of the world’s largest global sporting events.

The data shows that while celebrity star power drove campaign visibility for multiple brands, participatory social moments helped Prada stand out from the herd.

Celebrities and Milan Fashion Week Drove Visibility

Celebrity brand ambassadors anchored luxury LNY campaigns on Sina Weibo (96% of mentions) and Douyin (50% of engagement), drawing the eyes (and clicks) of devoted fans. Though global luxury brands have gotten more sophisticated in designing their LNY collections and campaigns, big names and familiar faces overshadowed creative details and concepts.

For example, Dior dominated conversation volume, generating 70% share of voice (SOV). About 29% of those mentions centered on its brand ambassador, Chinese actor Deng Wei.

Meanwhile, 38% of Valentino’s total engagement related to its LNY campaign came from a single Sina Weibo post from actor and singer Tan Jianci, also known as JC-T. The Valentino Beauty ambassador’s post promoting the limited-edition Lucky Blue makeup collection clearly resonated with his fanbase. It proved to be a more active point of audience engagement with the brand over other campaign elements like media features and in-person events. 

This Sina Weibo post from Tan Jianci generated over a third of Lunar New Year-related engagement for Valentino.  

Finally, Tod’s global brand ambassador Xiao Zhan drove 96% of both mentions and engagement for the Italian luxury brand. In particular, the actor and singer’s prominent seating at the Tod’s runway show for Milan Fashion Week created a surge of cross-market attention, effectively linking the brand’s Asia-focused Year of the Horse campaign to one of European fashion’s biggest stages.

Overall, Milan Fashion Week drove 86% of mentions and 60% of engagement for Tod’s, which wasn’t the only brand to seize the crossover opportunity in Milan Fashion Week’s LNY overlap. Many brands’ posts documenting their activations in Italy referenced LNY limited editions or incorporated the #马年 (Year of the Horse) hashtag. As a result, Milan became a key talking point in LNY luxury campaign conversations.

For Prada, Milan accounted for 67% of total LNY campaign mentions and 49.5% of related engagement. This was largely driven by Su Xinhao and Zuo Hang, members of the Chinese boy band T.O.P. 登陸少年組合, walking in the brand’s official runway show. 

One Hashtag Helped Prada Generate Outsized Engagement

While numerous brands used high-production creative assets to spark LNY conversation, a hashtag and custom Douyin filter helped Prada distinguish itself online. Despite only having 8% SOV, the brand captured 51% of the engagement. This was largely thanks to the #马年一起Prada啪哒 hashtag (roughly meaning “Prada! Together in the Year of the Horse") which generated over 90% of the brand’s likes, comments, shares, and reposts.

This Douyin post featuring Ma Long using Prada’s fire horse prism filter generated over 713,000 engagement actions from January 28 to March 3.

Highly engaged Douyin posts from figures like table tennis champion Ma Long and boy band TOP登陸少年組合 using a custom Prada Year of the Horse filter encouraged UGC. By creating a moment that fans could actively participate in, the brand realigned its campaign with the holiday’s foundations in community and togetherness. 

The combination of star power with audience involvement paid off big in terms of advertising value equivalent, or AVE, the estimated monetary value of earned media exposure). During LNY celebrations from February 17 to March 3, Prada generated $8.4 million in AVE despite only having 8% SOV. By comparison, Tod’s, which had 50% SOV, generated about half of Prada’s AVE at $4.3 million.

The takeaway here is that conversation volume is only one aspect of determining a campaign’s success. Brands need to consider engagement efficiency, i.e. how effectively a brand converts SOV into share of engagement, to truly understand whether or not campaign content is resonating with target audiences. 

For luxury brands planning future campaigns around cultural celebrations, three lessons stand out from LNY 2026:

Celebrity alignment can make or break a campaign. One highly resonant brand ambassador can outperform broad chatter.

Use calendar overlaps as multiplier effects. Coinciding cultural events don’t have to compete against each other. Use them as opportunities to target your audience’s overlapping interests, extending your campaigns’ reach and relevance in the process. 

Engagement efficiency beats SOV. Prada’s campaign proves that converting attention into interaction is what ultimately drives media value. Simple tools like hashtags and custom filters can go a long way in encouraging audience engagement.

In the Year of the Horse and beyond, luxury brands that can turn cultural moments into shared experiences will be the ones that stand out. Pairing the right faces with the right formats, all backed with data-driven insights, will be key to transforming seasonal impact into success in the long term. 

Frequently Asked Questions: Luxury Brand Performance During Lunar New Year 2026

What was the overall scale of luxury brand conversation during Lunar New Year 2026?

According to Meltwater, luxury brand campaigns for the Year of the Horse generated 3.4 million mentions and 24 million engagements between January 1 and March 3, 2026. To put this in perspective, this volume is comparable to the Winter Olympics, which generated 3.84 million mentions, illustrating the massive cultural and commercial scale of the holiday for the fashion industry.

Which social media platforms were most effective for luxury brands during Lunar New Year 2026?

Meltwater’s analysis reveals a clear split between visibility and interaction: Sina Weibo dominated conversation volume with 96% of mentions, while Douyin drove 50% of total engagement. This indicates that while Weibo is essential for broad reach, Douyin is the primary platform for active consumer participation.

How did celebrity ambassadors influence Lunar New Year 2026 campaign results?

Meltwater identifies celebrity talent as the primary amplification lever for these campaigns. For example, Xiao Zhan accounted for 96% of both mentions and engagement for Tod’s, while a single post from Tan Jianci drove 38% of Valentino’s total engagement. Similarly, Dior’s partnership with Deng Wei accounted for approximately 29% of its total mentions.

How did Milan Fashion Week impact Lunar New Year 2026 marketing?

Meltwater analysis highlights that Milan Fashion Week acted as a global visibility multiplier because it overlapped with the core holiday celebration window. For Tod’s, Milan-related activity drove 86% of its mentions and 60% of its engagement, while Prada leveraged the event to showcase next-generation idols like Su Xinhao and Zuo Hang, accounting for 67% of its LNY-related mentions.

What role did User-Generated Content (UGC) play in Prada’s Lunar New Year 2026 success?

Meltwater analysis credits Prada’s outsized engagement to its focus on community participation rather than just "hero" content. The #马年一起Prada啪哒 hashtag alone accounted for over 90% of the brand’s total engagement, while the “Red Horse Welcomes Spring” interactive filters encouraged users to transform from passive viewers into active content creators.

Which brand generated the highest media value during Lunar New Year 2026 celebrations?

Meltwater found that Prada generated the highest Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) at $8.4 million, nearly double the $4.3 million generated by Tod’s. The analysis suggests this was due to Prada's high engagement efficiency and its strategic investment in Gen Z-driven cultural capital.

How Luxury Brands Leveraged Celebrities and UGC for Lunar New Year 2026 Success

It can feel like there is a constant need to reinvent the marketing engine and reinvent the wheel. AI has transformed discovery… but even with all this change, consumer motivations remain the same. People still want answers, connection, and authenticity that they can trust.

— Upali Dasgupta, Senior Director of Marketing at Meltwater

In the Digital 2026: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t, and What Matters Most webinar, Upali joins Simon Kemp, Chief Analyst at DataReportal and Founder and CEO of Kepios, to cut through the noise. Drawing on fresh insights from the Digital 2026: Global Overview Report, they unpack what’s truly shifting in the digital landscape, along with the fundamentals that remain. Packed with data-backed insights and practical tips, their conversation focused on helping marketers move from overwhelm to clarity.

Below, we break down five key takeaways from the webinar, highlighting:

The actions that will matter most in 2026 and beyond

Want the full insights, data, and expert analysis? Watch the complete webinar on demand here.

Takeaway 1: AI Is Enhancing — Not Replacing — the Customer Journey.

ChatGPT’s mobile app has 557 million monthly active users, nearly eight times as many as Google Gemini.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of our new AI age, you’re not alone. Marketers around the world are scrambling to catch up to the over 1 billion people using standalone AI platforms each month. 

LLM usage is evolving, and it’s here to stay. From the Claude mobile app’s 14.8 million monthly active users to the ChatGPT app’s 557 million, audiences around the world are already using LLMs habitually. 

However, while these platforms point consumers to resources, they don’t replace existing brand research, discovery, and purchase behaviors. Audiences may use ChatGPT to learn more about your brand, but awareness still largely begins with search engines, social media ads, TV ads, and other existing elements of your media mix.

Takeaway 2: Brand Discovery Data Is Key to Optimizing Your Media Mix.

Social media ads, search engines, TV ads, and word of mouth are leading sources of brand discovery for internet users aged 16 to 64, with varying degrees of importance across the included age groups.

Speaking of where awareness begins, Digital 2026 data shows that social media ads are the leading channel for brand discovery for Gen-Z consumers. Search engines top the list for the 35 to 64 age group, while TV ads and word of mouth are paramount for retirees. However, all four channels are significant sources of brand discovery across age groups. Finding the right mix for you and your audience requires a fact-finding journey of its own.

Each one of these charts is designed to raise you to a higher-value question… That’s how I like to use data. It’s never giving me the answer, really. It’s just leading me to better and better questions that allow me to make really richly informed plans. 

— Simon Kemp, Founder and CEO of Kepios, Chief Analyst at DataReportal

There’s no universal silver bullet for brand awareness strategies, but demographic breakdowns like the one shown in the chart above are critical for assessing your current approach. 

Takeaway 3: Connected TV (CTV) Is the Marketing Channel to Watch for Digital Video Growth.

Globally, an average of 40.5% of YouTube’s ad audience is reachable via CTV.

Just over half of internet users aged 16+ own a smart TV, up from 46.6% in 2023, signaling exciting changes in how audiences consume content primarily created for online channels. 

Vlogs and short-form video now extend into more traditional home entertainment contexts, creating promising new opportunities for marketers, depending on their target regions. For example, in the UK, over half of YouTube’s ad audience is reachable via CTV. That figure stands at nearly 85% in the US. 

For marketers in these and other locations who prioritize video content, CTV may be worth a closer look. 

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