To be really cool with the best of British you  need to be listening to The Streets, reading Harry Potter, wearing Topshop clothes and drinking Innocent smoothies.

The Cool Brandleader survey is done each year to monitor people’s reaction to brands. UK's five coolest brands today are apparently Selfridges followed in order by Dazed and Confused magazine, Agent Provocateur, the Hakkasan restaurant and the art school at Goldsmith's college.

Glamour models Jordan and Jodie Marsh and Mr and Mrs Beckham feature at the top of the list of what’s uncool according to the survey of over 3000 ‘urbanites’ aged 18-44. Strangely England captain David Beckham also features fifth on the list of coolest celebrities…

Big Brother
Jude Law is the fifth coolest celebrity according to the survey and, with Beckham, is accompanied by the only other Brit in the top ten, Nadia from Big Brother. The new breed of reality TV celebrities also features on the uncool list with Jade Goody, also from Big Brother, in ninth place.

A new book Cool Brandleaders which names the brands at the cutting-edge coincides with the survey. It contains 63 entrants which were chosen from a list of 1,300 by the Cool Brandleaders Council.

Shopping, reading, drinking and listening
London topped the coolest venues’ list with the London Eye. Selfridges was top retailer with shops in London, Manchester and Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre.

To be really cool with the best of British you need to be listening to The Streets, reading Harry Potter, wearing Topshop clothes and drinking Innocent smoothies.

X Factor
Participants in the survey said to appear cool brands need, ‘style’, ’innovation’ and be ‘original’, ‘authentic’ and ‘unique’. ‘Word of mouth’ is the best way to get known with ‘celebrity endorsement’ the worst.

Stephen Cheliotis, chairman of the Cool Brandleaders Council said, ‘whilst cool is subjective, we have gained a great snapshot of who, what and where has the X factor right now’.

Linda from London doesn’t necessarily agree with Mr Cheliotis and comments, ‘What sort of a moron would buy a book called Cool Brandleaders by the Cool Brandleaders Council!! Seriously uncool I would have thought’.

Phat phree - Not cool!
It may be that even the word cool is so oversused that it's in danger of becoming uncool - though the Cool Brandleader survey doesn't say this! Teen speak can change quickly but here are some current variations on how to say 'cool'. Netia Simpson (20) says 'Head nu good', meaning you are cool. Others include phat, heavy and prity sick - all meaning very cool. Maybe next year it will be a survey of sickest brands or whatever the new 'cool' word will be...

Bernard
December 2004 - January 2005