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The Top 20 Coolest Brands According to College Students

YPulse’s Brand Tracking data shows these are the top 20 coolest brands, across all industries, according to college students…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team
KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Nike and the National Basketball Association are the top two coolest brands according to college students
  • They consider Instagram way cooler than TikTok, despite them using TikTok more
  • Sour Patch Kids, Doritos, and Cheetos are winning over college students as the coolest CPG brands
Every week, YPulse asks thousands of 13-39-year-olds to rate brands on 20 youth-centric measures, including authenticity, inclusivity, and the coveted “cool” factor. In our upcoming Cool Brands Report (available January 30) we’re focusing on what this label really means in the eyes of teens, young adults, young people of color, and more. Because while being “cool” might seem straightforward enough, gaining that identity among young consumers isn’t as easy as brands may think, and will require different efforts for different demographics. Among college students, for example, you might be shocked to hear beloved brands like TikTok aren’t top scoring for being “cool”—which begs the question, how can your brand be “cool” to this crucial consumer audience?   As a preview to our upcoming Cool Brands report, we’ve just launched a special look at the coolest brands for teens. Today, we’re exploring the top coolest brands amongst college students—a demo brands are constantly asking us about. As college life represents a step toward true independence and more control over their...

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