Why Coolest Brands Really Matters

By Pete Maginn, Managing Director, Commercial Insight 

So what? 

THE question that a very wise client challenged me with back when I was a fresh-faced insight graduate. 

And honestly? It’s the one that the Beano Brain team keeps in mind. Whenever we share results, outputs, deliverables, takeaways – whatever you want to call them - we’re always chasing that so what - the bigger picture of why it matters and how brands can actually use them. 

Next month, we’re dropping our Top 100 Coolest Brands according to Kids In 2025, a world that is changing faster and in even less predictable ways, understanding kids may be difficult  but it’s essential. Because this generation doesn’t just consume brands; they remix, rate, and reinvent them. 

Yes, there’s the excitement of finding out who’s no. 1 (as a kid my sole ambition was to be a radio DJ, counting down the singles chart ) so I’ll admit I do get a dopamine hit every time I “reveal” the new Top 100 : ) But the real value in Coolest Brands is in the why. 

Beyond the Rankings: The Real “So Whats” 

Here’s how our clients - longstanding, new and prospective 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.” 

• Inspo from the Icons: Learn from the brands climbing fastest — and why. 

• Spot the Differentiators: Identify attributes that help you stand out from the pack. 

• Surprise Factor: Discover which brands kids crown cool (even when adults wouldn’t guess it). 

• Future Radar: Get an early read on themes set to blow up in the next 12 months. 

Last year, we called out New Consumerism and Finding the Funny as rising forces. Fast-forward to 2025, and brands tapping into those are seeing serious momentum in the rankings. 

Why 2025 Matters 

Coolest Brands is so much more than a list. It’s a year-round, evolving playbook for relevance. Our clients tell us the insights don’t just sit in a report they ripple through their organisations, shaping strategy, product, comms and collabs. 

This year’s Coolest Brands could be your shortcut to: 

• The next big collab partner 

• The themes that will define youth culture in 2025 

• And the moves that could take your brand from peripheral to familiar… to phenomenal 

 What’s Next? 

• The Big Top 100 Reveal → Hitting The Neuron + LinkedIn next month 

• UK → Join us for a Coolest Brands in-person event in September 

• US (online) → Tune in to the webinar this November 
   

Because in 2025, “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 2025, contact the team today.