YouTube overtakes Netflix as Britain’s ‘coolest brand’

Youtube has overtaken Netflix and is again number one in the The 100 coolest brands for kids and teenagers This is according to a study of 21,000 young people conducted by Beano Brain, the agency specialising in child and family insights.

In the third edition of the annual Report “100 coolest brands”The entertainment giants continue to go head-to-head for supremacy, fighting a tough battle for the top spot in the youth’s mind. Brands based on storytelling and offering deep and broad content – YouTube, Netflix, Nintendo (4) and Disney (9) – all occupy spots in the top 10.

The popularity of social media apps declined, with all major brands falling in the rankings, including TikTok (-7 to 28), WhatsApp (-8 to 38), Snapchat (-3 to 40) and Instagram (-11 to 66).

The biggest climber this year was the shoe brand Crocs (up 35 places to 49th place). The second biggest climber was the plush toy brand Squishmallows, which jumped forward and now enters the top 20 at 18th place.

Lego just made it into the top 10 at number 10, replacing Coca Cola (down 4 to 14), supported by collaborations with companies such as Minecraft (30).

Argos (89) is the biggest loser this year, falling 21 places, and Jolly Ranchers, Hot Wheels, The Entertainer, Under Armour, Oculus VR and Wagamama fall out of the top 100.

There are no British brands in the top 30. Greggs Bakery is the highest-ranked British brand at 31st place (up 2 places from last year). Harry Potter slipped 5 places to 37th place for the second year in a row.

The BBC was able to recover slightly from last year’s disgrace, when it was the biggest loser, and rose by 8 points to 63rd place.

New additions included SuperDrug (98), Boots (91), Uno (46), Subway Surfers (52), EA Sports (65), Samsung (53), Pandora (78), Poundland (80) and Taco Bell (87).

Young people’s high expectations and brand awareness mean it’s hard for new brands to break into the top 100. Only two of the top-performing brands – Amazon and Roblox – were born in the 21st century.

There have been clear upward trends in some sectors, often gender-specific. The gaming sector has done really well this year, with gaming brands rising up the ranks. While riding the wave of aesthetics, skincare, fashion and beauty brands have become increasingly popular with girls.

According to Beano Brain, YouTube has cemented its top spot over TikTok and similar platforms through the sheer breadth of content and its successful mix of long and short content, allowing kids to pop in and out as long as they want.

Pete Maginn, Managing Director, Commercial Insight, Beano Brain, added: “Being a cool brand is not just the preserve of a particular category – it’s not just about entertainment or gaming brands. There are 14 different categories represented in the top 20 – from confectionery to physical play, lifestyle to retail. Brands that have responded to the cost of living crisis, from budget menus to free access to content, and that have focused on sharing opportunities for families have done well. McDonalds, a 50-year-old, well-known and trusted brand, and Squishmallows, a relatively new, year-round gaming brand, both showed an intelligent understanding of the world of children and the qualities that make them cool in their eyes. Creating cross-generational fun and appeal should be a top priority for brands.”