Apple tops 'cool brands' rankings

GHENT: Apple, Sony and Converse Allstars are perceived by millennials to be the world's "coolest" brands, a global research project by Insites Consulting, a market resarch firm, has revealed.

Just over seven in ten of the study's 4,065 15 to 25-year-old parcicipants cited Apple's iPhone as an example of a cool brand, while Converse and Sony both found favour with around 60%.

Within individual product categories, Coca-Cola was voted coolest food and drink brand, while Axe, a Unilever-owned deodorant, and fashion retailer H&M topped the personal care and clothing categories.

Joeri Van den Bergh, Gen Y expert at InSites Consulting, said: "Cool brands manage to use their clear DNA to continuously surprise youngsters with new campaigns, a new product or a new idea.

"This regularly renewed approach is necessary in order to keep a hold of the attention of a generation of youth which is addicted to stimuli. Furthermore it is important to connect with people locally via their different passions and interests."

Insites also revealed significant national variations in perceptions of "cool". Indians were most likely to see themselves as cool (61%), while just 30% of Chinese respondents said the same.

The US was the country most-associated with cool by the survey respondents, with Hollywood actor Johnny Depp voted coolest celebrity by 30%, and New York seen as the coolest city, securing the vote of almost 50%.

Data sourced from Insites; additional content by Warc staff, 14 June 2012

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