This year's CoolBrands list has seen Apple retain its title as the coolest brand of the year. The list, as voted for by over 3,000 consumers and a panel of key influencers which included television chef Gizzi Erskine and model Daisy Lowe, measures what type of lifestyle's and ideals we have been buying into for the "cool" factor.
Personally, I wasn't surprised with Apple reigning supreme again. With its release of the iPhone 5S and IOS 7, Apple knows that a tech hungry public want products NOW. This lack of patience explains Blackberry's demise and the closure of PC World's and Curry's round the country. How can you sell tech brands when you can't stay up-to-date? Not cool. At all.An interesting point about CoolBrands is the re-emergence of luxury brands. No, not like last year's attempt at luxury with Haagen-Dazs, I mean, since when was ice cream luxury? Well, maybe since a 99 wasn't 99p anymore...
Moving on, and well, look, I know we all can't afford a Rolex or an Aston Martin, but they hold the 2nd and 3rd spots on the cool list. Maybe that's why they are cool? They are aspirational brands, engrained into our consciousness. However, how come an easily available brand like Apple came up trumps?
Chairman of the CoolBrands council, Stephen Cheliotis said: "Whether it's due to strong heritage, product quality or a correlation with the reviving economy, this year's list saw a definite swing back to luxury brands."
Well, brand Apple might start as one phone contract on a cheap pay band, but as soon as you buy into one, you want more; the latest version of the phone that has a flippy camera, a Mac that fits in an envelope, even just the latest colour. So in a way, and this is from a writer whose house is dominated by Apple, (yet outdated Apple), the tech giant is just as unattainable, and therefore cool.
Yes, the masses have iPhone's, but not many have the whole Apple lifestyle package. Most are stuck in some rubbish 24 month phone contract, 10 phone models behind. Apple is worse than traditionally luxurious brands, because Apple tease you with near affordability. At least Aston Martin and Rolex are beyond the stuff of dreams.
Another point to make here is how utterly pretentious this entire list is. I can see a a right idiot strolling round Camden with his chewed Ray Bans between his teeth, tap-tap-tapping on his iPhone 5S, tweeting away, wearing a ridiculous pair of Nike high tops whilst on his way to pick up Glasto tickets from his stupidly cool friends.
Unfortunately, I am rather jealous of this hedonistic lifestyle; an interesting juxtaposition of freedom to be cool without social constraints, whilst being chained to brands, all in the quest of individuality & belonging; coolness.
You can read CoolBrands List here
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