Why Coolest Brands Really Matters

By Pete Maginn, Managing Director, Commercial Insight 

It’s September and – for the 5^th year running in the UK & 4^th in the US – we’ve just revealed our Top 100 Coolest Brands According to Kids.

2026 has already been tumultuous, the world is changing faster and in even less predictable ways than ever before, so understanding kids may be difficult but it’s essential. Because this generation doesn’t just consume brands; they remix, rate, and reinvent them.

There are some positional changes amongst the big guns and a range of movers & new entrants in the top 100 – all important to take note of. But, as always, the real value in Coolest Brands to clients is in the why.

Beyond the Rankings: The Real “So Whats”

Here’s how our clients can use Coolest Brands to stay on-trend and in-touch:

• Authentic POV: See the brand world through Gen Alpha’s eyes, not adult assumptions
  
• Brand Health Check: Find out how your brand stacks up against the attributes of “cool” - this year we’ll be announcing how clients will be able to gain access to measure this!
  
• Spot the Differentiators: Identify attributes that help you stand out from the pack
  
• Surprise Factor: Discover which brands kids crown cool & adults wouldn’t guess in a million years or might not have even heard of them).
  
• Future Radar: Get an early read on themes set to blow up in the next 12 months.

Last year, we called out The New Search, Seeking Comfort & East Meets West amongst trends on the rise. Fast-forward to 2026, and brands tapping into those are seeing serious momentum in the rankings including the first AI brand to ever feature in the Top 100…

• Discover what cool means in your category
• Diagnose how your brand’s touchpoints can be cooler
• Plot out your brand strategy using a Gen Alpha-centric framework of cool

• UK: Download mini-report
• US: Join us for a Coolest Brands presentation at TMRE, Denver, CO | Monday October 5, 2026
• US (online) → Register for the webinar on Thursday, November 12, 2026
  

How Beano Brain could help you

For me Coolest Brands should be so much more than a list that clients take note of each autumn. It’s a year-round, evolving playbook for relevance.

Our clients tell us the insights don’t just sit in a mini-report or the book - they ripple through their organisations, shaping strategy, product, comms and collabs. Some even have a KPI target to feature or move further up the list each year!

Enjoy the latest release and do let us know if we work with you to help:

Because in 2026, “cool” isn’t a label, it’s a living, breathing signal of what kids value, share and celebrate. And the brands that pay attention? They’re the ones that stay relevant.

If you'd like to know more about Coolest Brands 2026, contact the team today.