What do Nike Jordan, Fortnite, and e.l.f. Cosmetics have in common?
By Beano Brain's US Insights Director, Audrey Birner
What do Nike Jordan, Fortnite, and e.l.f. Cosmetics have in common? This isn’t the setup for a punchline and honestly, it’s not a trio we’d have naturally grouped either, until we looked at this year’s Top 100 Coolest Brands (according to Gen Alpha) results.
I’ll give you a hint. None of these brands make it into the top 20 for US 7-14-year-olds in 2025. In fact, e.l.f. Cosmetics doesn’t even make into Gen Alpha’s top 50 (sorry if you’re reading this e.l.f. team!). But after three years of tracking what resonates with US kids and teens, we’re seeing more unexpected shifts in how Gen Alpha defines cool.
Which brings us to this year’s story: the rise of the underdogs. Jordan, Fortnite, and e.l.f. might not be the all-out winners in this year’s list; but they do share an accolade that puts them in the top 10% of brands that Beano Brain tracks. All have managed to climb double digit spaces (over 15+) in US Gen Alpha’s ‘cool’ ratings since this time last year.
So what’s behind their boost? It boils down to one word: aspiration. Gen Alpha might be kids, but none of these brands commit the cardinal sin of considering them “kiddie.”
Here’s how each one did it – three very different takes on tapping into Gen Alpha’s aspiration:
- Jordan (+17 spots to #22) – The brand’s attention-grabbing collaborations with nextgen celebrities ranging from Jayson Tatum to Travis Scott to J Balvin ensure that jumpman sneakers carry the same in-the-know cultural cache with Gen A consumers that they did for cohorts before them. Even in 2025’s economic climate, the Beano Brain team is seeing Jordans top birthday and holiday wish lists as the ultimate emblems of playground status and style.
- Fortnite (+26 spots to #35) – Historically, Fortnite has enjoyed evergreen luster with the middle school set. In 2025, it bolstered those ‘cool kudos’, by expanding beyond its original Battle Royale mode and prevalently featuring more “grown-up” Disney properties from the Marvel Universe to Star Wars. The unexpected viral success of AI Darth Vader was truly the feather in the brand’s cap, helping the platform to age up with kids rather than being relegated to the realm of younger siblings.
- e.l.f (+20 spots to #91) – While e.l.f. is undoubtedly one of a few beauty brands riding the wave of tween girls’ makeup and skincare love, it is THE brand meeting Gen Alpha girls where they are in 2025 (literally and figuratively). From being the first brand featured on TikTok Shop’s “Super Brand Day” to launching a purpose-driven campaign with female professional soccer player Jess Carter, e.l.f. is an upstart to watch when it comes to girl power messaging that resonates with a 2025 audience.
So, in case you’re asked, Jordan, Fornite, and e.l.f. are all sleeper hits with Gen Alpha. Not because they tried to be ‘cool for kids’, but because they made young audiences feel genuinely ‘seen’.
Inspired to figure out how your brand can be the next success story with a youth audience? Register to attend our Coolest Brands US November 12th webinar here, or get in touch with the team at hello@beanobrain.com.