Want to know if your brand is cool? Ask a kid!

By Helenor Gilmour

I never cease to be amazed at how sophisticated kids and teens are in their brand consumption and our 2024 list of the Coolest Brands is a perfect example.  Often more discerning and intelligent than adults when it comes to the brands they use, kids have a clear sense of the practical advantages of a brand but also how it affects them on an emotional level. Want to know why one brand of snacks is cooler than another?  Ask a kid.  We did, and they told us about the “mouth feels”.  Want to understand your brand positioning – ask a kid and hear how it helps them fit in with their peer group or even gives them the confidence to stand out. Only a few classic children’s brands feature in our top 100.  5 out of the top 25 could be regarded as children’s properties.  But we often forget that Gen A are growing up in a world designed and built by adults and at a younger and younger age they are exposed to brands that form the backbone of their existence – but are not explicitly designed for them.  Brands are anchored in kids’ lives from an early age marking key moments and milestones. Helenor Gilmour In our 2024 list it is also abundantly clear how brands rooted in storytelling are loved by kids and teens.  Netflix and YouTube compete for top place with Nintendo and Disney earning places in the top 10.  This sets the bar super-high for any brands hoping to challenge these storytelling behemoths.  It also illustrates just how high Gen Alpha’s expectations are when it comes to depth and breadth of content. Food and drink brands feature heavily in the top 25, unsurprisingly given the size of marketing budgets historically but they are also closely associated with treats and fun family time.  They are valued by kids for the products themselves, but how they differ from other products AND how they make them feel.  Kids understand the added brand values and personalities of the best ranked brands. It’s not as easy to make an impact as a new brand because kids’ expectations are high.  Constant innovation, super-fast delivery, reliability, safety built-in and depth and breadth are all simple hygiene factors to this most brand-literate generation.  Only 2 of our top performing brands – Amazon and Roblox were born in the 21st century.  However, we have seen clear upward trends in some sectors, often aligned to gender.  The gaming sector has performed really well this year with gaming brands – products and gaming companies moving up our ranks.  Whilst riding the crest of the aesthetics wave, skincare, fashion and beauty brands have risen in popularity with girls. Finally, brands that upped the funny this year have acquired cool points with kids.  Friendly brands and brands that know how to make kids laugh do well in our rankings. Humour is playground currency for kids and welcomes them into the brand’s world.  Create the LOLs and you capture coolness!