A new study of teenagers has revealed what brands they regard as cool and which ones they regard as daggy. And it’s all good news for YouTube and Netflix and it’s bad news for the “uncool” likes of McDonald’s and surf wear brand Quiksilver.
(You can read B&T’s report on the demise of surf wear brands here.)
The survey, “It’s Lit: A Guide To What Teens Think Is Cool,” involved 1100 American teens aged 13 to 17. It was commissioned by Google, so, yes, the tech search company coincidentally ranked high in the cool stakes.
The report noted: “For Generation Z, what’s cool is also a representation of their values, their expectations of themselves, their peers, and the brands they hold in the highest regard.”
When it came to gender, teen girls thought fashion, beauty and music was cool, while for the boys it was video games. Girls thought “cool” was how something made them feel, while for the boys it was more about fads or the opinion of friends.
According to the study, these are the top 10 coolest brands:
One: YouTube
Two: Netflix
Three: Google
Four: Xbox
Five: Oreo
Six: GoPro
Seven: Playstation
Eight: Doritos
Nine: Nike
Ten: Chrome
And the 10 uncoolest brands:
One: Vice
Two: The Wall Street Journal
Three: Whatsapp
Four: McDonald’s
Five: Quiksilver
Six: Yahoo
Seven: Facebook Messenger
Eight: Red Bull
Nine: TMZ
Ten: Virgin America
When it came to social media, Snapchat and Instagram were the leading platforms for teens. Facebook was still a daily habit for “consumption and stalking” but it’s seen as “uncool” to post!
And the coolest celebs for teens (remembering those surveyed were American) – NBA player Steph Curry, actress Emma Watson, musician/actress Selena Gomez, singer Ariana Grande and rapper Chance The Rapper.
Worryingly, Coldplay was among respondents’ coolest bands that also included Twenty One Pilots, Panic At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, Beyonce, Drake and – one for the oldies – The Beatles!
