UK kids have brands on the brain

Children in the UK are spontaneously talking about more brands than ever before, according to research from Beano Brain.

The insights consultancy arm of Beano Studios, which produces the eponymous children’s comic, conducted a year-long in-depth study of 60,000 7 to 14-year-olds for its second annual Coolest Brands Report, which now examines 100 brands rather than the 50 of the first edition.

Which brands are coolest?

• The top ten coolest brands for UK kids are, in order: Netflix, YouTube, McDonald’s, Nike, Oreo (new entry), Nintendo, Pringles (new entry), Disney, Roblox, Coca-Cola (new entry). 
• The highest-rated UK brands are: Harry Potter (no. 32), Greggs (34), Sports Direct (40) and JD Sports (47).

Why the cool factor matters

Brands that manage to resonate across Gen Alpha’s ‘coolest brand’ criteria rank highly and will be nurturing potential lifelong fans.

Takeaways 

• Generation Alpha is increasingly discerning – expectations and benchmarks are often higher than those of adults.
• They expect depth and breadth of content, content availability on demand, full integration across platforms and speed – be that super-fast broadband or same-day delivery.
• Saving the planet is one of their most important issues alongside kindness, being cool and an expectation that brands should give something back. 
• They are primed to celebrate brand collaborations and embrace brands that are brave when it comes championing diversity or helping them navigate life stages such as puberty.

Key quote

“Kids love brands with salience and a clear proposition. It’s why Nike (Just Do It!) is cooler than Adidas and why Pringles, with their mouth-pleasing texture and shape, are cooler than Walkers” – Helenor Gilmour, Director of Insight, Beano Brain.

Sourced from Beano Brain