Anthropologist Dr Carl Rohde, who conducted the 'Global Cool Hunt' survey with PR consultancy Hill & Knowlton said really cool brands often had to conduct anti-advertising or anti-PR campaigns to maintain or sharpen their cool cachet.
The survey of key themes and drivers of trends emerging in 2004 was undertaken by 26 Hill & Knowlton offices worldwide, including five cities in Asia to determine the factors that influenced young consumers. Diesel jeans, Puma trainers and Starbucks were identified as the coolest brands on the planet among young people aged 18 to 24.
"If a brand has a cool mentality trend, then the rest will follow," said Rohde, president of the Netherlands' Sign of the Time. "Having a cool mentality trend means future growth potential. Cool means inspiring and attractive.
"This information from youth comes from the streets, but by having an academic frame of reference, we can work with clients to assess what is cool, how a brand can have the right dose of coolness and how we can use cool for communication concepts."
Empowerment emerged as the major theme of the survey, which was carried out globally last year for the first time since its establishment in Europe in 2001. Under "cool empowerment" emerged seven themes: wellness, technology, brands, personalisation, celebrities, femininity and masculinity. The findings can be used to allow marketers to gain a better understanding of how to empower products, services, brands and organisations in order to reach a younger targeted audience.
"Everybody wants empowerment and young people are no different," Rohde said.
"Cool high-tech gear - iPods, the latest electronic gadgets, wireless internet - scored high with youths, with Japan and Hong Kong leading the troops."
Other brands that scored high in the survey were various mobile phone companies, Miss Sixty jeans and a host of "cool" energy drinks led by Red Bull. Puma was seen as cool as it was a "little fighter" that had made huge strides into fashion footwear; Starbucks for introducing great-tasting coffee on a global scale; and Diesel for its advertising, style lines and generally cool mentality.