Trends 2025: What it means to be ‘cool’ to Gen Z and Gen AlphaBeano Brain’s Coolest Brands 2025 research unpicks what it means to be a cool brand in 2025.

What is the "In Plain Sight" Trend?

The "In Plain Sight" trend is a shift in what Gen Z and Gen Alpha consider to be cool. It's no longer about discovering niche, underground brands or being rebellious. Instead, coolness is defined by brands that are visible, relatable, and integrated seamlessly into everyday life. This means that brands traditionally associated with adults, like high-end skincare or popular coffee chains, are being adopted and redefined by younger generations. They're drawn to products and experiences that are accessible and can be shared, rather than those that are exclusive or out of reach.

Why Is the "Everyday Icon" Trend on the Rise?

• Digital Fluency and Access: Gen Z and Gen Alpha are digital natives who can instantly research and evaluate brands. The internet has made the adult world and its products literally a click away. This access has given them a more sophisticated palate and higher expectations for design, content, and innovation from a young age.

• A Shift from Rebellion to Relatability: The traditional idea of "cool" being tied to counter-culture is fading. Younger generations are less interested in rebelling against the mainstream and more focused on finding brands that align with their social lives and personal identities. They seek relatability and emotional connection over a sense of being an outsider.

• The Power of Social and Shared Experiences: Despite their digital immersion, these generations crave real-world, shared moments. Brands that facilitate these connections—whether through a shared snack, a theme park trip, or a social media challenge—are winning. They are looking for ways to create memories and rituals with friends and family, and brands that enable this become central to their lives.

Overview: The New Definition of Cool

The definition of "cool" for Gen Z and Gen Alpha has evolved from a focus on exclusivity and rebellion to one centered on connection and authenticity. These generations are not hiding from the adult world; they are borrowing from it, repurposing established brands, and finding new ways to make them their own. They value brands that are visible, relatable, and integral to their daily routines and social rituals. This shift marks a move towards a more pragmatic, sophisticated, and community-oriented idea of coolness.

Detailed Findings: The Pillars of Modern Cool

• Sports, Beauty, and Everyday Products: In the UK, major sports brands like Nike and Adidas are cool because they align with cultural moments, particularly the rise of women's sports. In the US, beauty brands like Drunk Elephant and Glow Recipe are winning by creating clever, collectible products that double as social currency. These examples show how everyday items, from sneakers to serums, are becoming cultural touchstones.

• Food as an Emotional Anchor: Food and drink brands dominate the top 100 coolest brands because they are inherently tied to shared moments and emotional resonance. Brands like Coca-Cola and Doritos are cool because they are part of rituals like Christmas or movie nights. This shows that while these generations are digital natives, they still deeply value tangible, shared experiences.

• The Power of Face-to-Face Connection: The data shows that brands that facilitate real-world gatherings—like Starbucks, Disney, or even Jellycat—are highly valued. This highlights a powerful hybrid social model where digital engagement supports and enhances offline, face-to-face interaction. The emotional weight of these in-person moments is what solidifies a brand's place in their lives.

• The "Early Aging Up" Phenomenon: The rapid shift away from traditional toys by age seven signifies a trend of accelerated maturity. Kids are moving on to more sophisticated forms of entertainment and products much sooner. Brands that can adapt, like LEGO through its collaborations with adult-oriented brands, or Jellycat by becoming a collectible for all ages, are the ones that succeed.

Key Success Factors of a "Cool" Brand

• Collaboration and Co-Creation: Brands that allow their audience to participate, remix, and adapt their products—through limited drops, customization, or user-generated content—build deeper, more lasting loyalty. This co-creation model makes consumers feel like they are part of the brand's story.

• Cross-Generational Appeal: The most successful brands are those that can be adopted by multiple generations. Gen Z and Alpha are drawn to brands that feel aspirational but are still accessible and relatable, blurring the lines between "adult" and "kid" products.

• Connective Experiences: Brands must provide opportunities for shared, emotional experiences, both online and off. Whether it's a snack for a movie night, a shared skincare routine, or a themed park trip, the ability to facilitate genuine human connection is a key differentiator.

Key Takeaway: The New Cool is Authenticity

For brands, the new definition of "cool" is not a mystery to be solved. It's about being present and authentic in the daily lives of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. They are highly discerning and have sophisticated expectations, but they reward brands that deliver genuine value, emotional resonance, and opportunities for shared experiences. The secret is to be visible, relatable, and deeply woven into the fabric of their lives.

Core Trend: The "In Plain Sight" Shift

This trend represents a fundamental redefinition of "cool." It's no longer about exclusive or rebellious brands but about those that are visible, relatable, and deeply integrated into the everyday. This shift reflects a move from counter-culture to co-culture, where what's cool is what's shared and accessible.

Description of the Trend: The Age of Everyday Icons

This trend is defined by Gen Z and Gen Alpha's adoption of brands that are already in the mainstream. They are selecting "everyday icons"—from sports and beauty to food and entertainment—and repurposing them to fit their own social rituals and identities. This process is driven by their digital fluency and a desire for products that can be shared, collected, and celebrated with others.

Key Characteristics of the Core Trend: Hybrid Socialization and Sophisticated Expectations

• Hybrid Socialization: The core of this trend is the fluid movement between online and offline worlds. Brands must excel in both spaces, using digital platforms to create engagement that culminates in meaningful, real-world interactions and vice versa.

• Sophisticated and Pragmatic Consumers: These consumers have a high degree of digital literacy and an ability to quickly evaluate brand authenticity and quality. They are not easily swayed by superficial marketing; they expect thoughtful design, compelling content, and genuine innovation.

• Value in Emotional Resonance: Cool brands create more than just products—they create rituals and emotional connections. This can be through nostalgia, shared moments, or a sense of belonging, and it's what differentiates a transient trend from a lasting relationship with a brand.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: The Blurring of Boundaries

• The Rise of Influencer Culture: Influencers and content creators have made a wide range of products—from skincare to gourmet snacks—visible and accessible, democratizing the concept of "cool" and making it a topic of public conversation rather than an underground secret.

• Cultural Moments in Sports and Entertainment: The explosion of women's sports and the rise of charismatic personalities in fields like F1 and golf have made these traditionally adult spaces more accessible and aspirational for younger audiences.

• Collectible Culture: The success of brands like Jellycat and the limited-edition drops from brands like LEGO and Nike show a cultural shift towards collectability and a focus on ownership as a form of self-expression and social currency.

What is Consumer Motivation: Seeking Connection and Self-Expression

• Aspiration and Accessibility: Consumers are motivated by brands that represent an aspirational lifestyle but remain within reach. They want to "age up" and use products associated with adults in a way that feels authentic to them, showing a sophisticated understanding of their own identity.

• Belonging and Social Currency: Many of these products, from skincare to snacks, serve as social touchpoints. They are tools for belonging—items to be shared, swapped, and talked about, creating a sense of community and shared experience.

• Emotional and Ritualistic Value: Consumers are motivated by the emotional resonance of a brand. They seek out products that are tied to positive rituals, whether it’s a family tradition, a movie night with friends, or a personal self-care routine.

What is Motivation Beyond the Trend: The Quest for Authenticity

• Authentic Self-Expression: Beyond simply following a trend, consumers are motivated to find brands that reflect their personal values and aesthetic. The brands they choose are a form of self-expression, a way to signal their identity to the world.

• Meaningful Connections: In a world of digital saturation, there is a deep-seated motivation for real, tangible connection. Brands that can serve as a conduit for this—by facilitating gatherings or creating shared memories—fulfill a core human need.

Descriptions of Consumers: The Discerning Generation

Consumer Summary: Gen Z and Gen Alpha are not a monolith, but they share a common digital fluency and a sophisticated, pragmatic approach to brands. They are highly informed consumers who seek authenticity, emotional connection, and opportunities for shared experiences. They are comfortable blurring the lines between online and offline life, and they value brands that can operate seamlessly in both spaces. They are savvy, critical, and intentional in their choices, making them a powerful and demanding demographic for any brand to engage with.

• Who are they? They are the first fully digitally native generations, highly connected and globally aware. They are diverse, socially conscious, and collaborative.

• What is their age? Gen Z is roughly 13-28, and Gen Alpha is 12 and under.

• What is their gender? All genders are represented, with specific trends noted in areas like beauty (driven by tween girls) and sports (driven by the rise of women's teams).

• What is their income? While many are still in school or early in their careers, they have significant spending power through allowances, part-time jobs, and influence over family purchases.

• What is their lifestyle? Their lifestyle is hybrid—fluidly moving between digital and physical spaces. They are active on social media, but also highly engaged in real-world activities and social gatherings.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: From Passive to Active

• From Passive Consumption to Active Co-Creation: Consumers are no longer just buying products; they are using them as a starting point for their own content, remixes, and social challenges. They expect brands to be a part of their story, not just a product in their life.

• From Aspirational to Accessible: The shift has moved from wanting what is exclusive to wanting what is attainable and can be easily integrated into their lives. They are changing the behavior of brands by forcing them to be more transparent and less elitist.

• From Solitary to Shared Experiences: This trend is reinforcing the importance of shared experiences. Consumer behavior is shifting toward purchasing products that can be a part of a group activity—like a specific snack for a movie night or a shared beauty routine.

Implications of Trend Across the Ecosystem: The New Playing Field

For Consumers: This trend gives consumers more power and a greater sense of agency. They are no longer just targets of marketing but active participants in shaping a brand's identity and culture. It empowers them to define "cool" for themselves.

For Brands and CPGs: Brands must pivot from a top-down, one-way communication model to a collaborative, two-way dialogue. They need to focus on creating authentic, relatable content and products that facilitate shared experiences. This means investing in social media, user-generated content, and partnerships that feel genuine.

For Retailers: Retailers must create physical and digital spaces that support this hybrid consumer behavior. This means creating engaging in-store experiences that are highly shareable, and having a strong digital presence that mirrors and enhances the physical one.

Strategic Forecast: Embracing the Co-Creation Economy

• Authenticity and Transparency: Brands that are transparent about their values, production processes, and social impact will win. The new cool is about being real, not perfect.

• Community Building: The most successful brands will be those that prioritize building and nurturing communities around their products. This involves creating platforms for discussion, co-creation, and shared experiences.

• Leveraging Niche and Micro-Influencers: Moving away from a reliance on mega-influencers, brands will increasingly partner with micro- and niche-influencers who have a more authentic and dedicated following.

• Experiential Retail: The future of retail lies in creating unique, shareable experiences that go beyond a simple transaction. This could include workshops, events, or interactive installations.

• Subscription and Ritual-Based Models: Brands that can build their products into a routine or ritual—through subscription boxes, collectible drops, or seasonal releases—will build stronger, more loyal customer relationships.

Areas of Innovation: Beyond the Product

• Collaborative Design Platforms: Companies will innovate by creating digital platforms that allow consumers to directly participate in the design of new products or limited-edition drops.

• Hybrid Social Spaces: Brands will invest in creating physical spaces that are specifically designed for social media content creation and real-world connection, blurring the lines between store and social hub.

• Personalized Rituals and Subscriptions: Innovation will focus on creating highly personalized subscription services that deliver not just products, but a curated experience and a sense of ritual.

• Dynamic and Interactive Packaging: The physical product itself will become more interactive, with packaging designed for collectability, sharing, and digital engagement via QR codes or augmented reality.

• Social-First Storytelling: Brands will innovate their marketing by developing narratives and content that are specifically designed to be told and retold across social platforms by their own audience.

Summary of Trends:

Core Consumer Trend: The Co-Creator Consumer. Consumers are moving from passive consumption to active co-creation, expecting to be partners in a brand's journey and to use products as a canvas for their own self-expression.

Core Social Trend: The Hybrid Hangout. The social landscape is defined by a fluid movement between online and offline spaces. Brands that succeed are those that facilitate and enhance meaningful connections in both environments, recognizing that the emotional weight of a face-to-face moment is what truly matters.

Core Strategy: Plain Sight Authenticity. The most effective brand strategy is to be visible, authentic, and integrated into the everyday. This means focusing on relatability, shared experiences, and emotional resonance rather than on exclusivity or chasing fleeting trends.

Core Industry Trend: The Rebirth of Ritual. Industries are finding new life by re-framing their products not as standalone items but as part of larger rituals. From beauty routines to movie night snacks, brands are selling an experience and an emotional connection, not just a physical product.

Core Consumer Motivation: The Quest for Connection. At the heart of it all, consumers are motivated by a deep-seated need for connection and belonging. They are choosing brands that help them build community, express their identity, and create shared memories with those they care about.

Final Thought: The New Cool Is Found, Not Made

The "cool" of Gen Z and Gen Alpha is not something that brands can manufacture in a boardroom; it is something they must earn through authenticity and a genuine understanding of their audience. These generations have higher expectations than any before, and they are quick to reward brands that delight them with thoughtful design, resonate with their social rituals, and most importantly, help them connect with others. The new "cool" is not out of reach or hidden away; it's right in front of us, woven into the fabric of everyday life. The brands that understand this will not just survive, but thrive, by becoming an indispensable part of their consumers' stories.

 Source: https://www.creativebrief.com/bite/trend/guest-trend/what-it-means-be-cool-to-gen-z-and-gen-alpha