The annual Sunday Times Generation Next 2011 Brand Survey awards took place on Tuesday, 24 May 2011, to acknowledge the brands selected by Generation Y (between the ages of 8 and 22) as the coolest in the local youth market.
With more technology at its fingertips, this generation, more than any before it, broadcasts its opinions and views on all manner of issues and topics across all the social media platforms.
"Any brand, looking to strategically break through into the youth market, needs to know what this market 'likes'," says Enver Groenewald, GM of advertising revenue and strategic communications at The Sunday Times. "As the buying force of tomorrow, youth need to be validated as consumers, as they have the potential to make or break a product or service."
Cool is in the eye of the beholder
This year, over 7200 young South Africans, from six provinces, were polled on everything from the fast food outlets to cellular network providers, celebrities to fashion brands and banks to tertiary institutions.
The survey illustrates what the leaders, movers and shakers of tomorrow are responding to today, as well as measuring the effectiveness of marketing and branding campaigns - aimed either specifically or not specifically at this particular target market - are being consumed and interpreted.
This year's survey includes an additional eight brand personality categories to serve as a gauge with which to measure the success of the growing trend of utilising celebrities to endorse big name brands.
Spanning 72 categories and unpacked into two studies - Coolest Brands and Lifestyle Habits - the survey illustrates young consumers' brand preferences based on what they deem 'cool', irrespective of their financial constraints. The survey also offers key insight into trends likely to shake the bottom line for some brands.
Technology is tops
Amongst various trends, the survey points to a prominent year-on-year increase in tech consumption amongst the youth and, although a given for some, it does denote this particular market's preference for products and services that are simultaneously functional, multi-purposeful and affordable.
For this reason, the Blackberry smart phone, with its widespread appeal, gained enough clout in the eyes of Generation Y to scoop this year's Coolest Brand Overall title. It also took top honours in the 'Coolest Cellphone', 'Coolest High-Tech Gadget' categories and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) was named 'Best Cellphone Application'.
"BBM is the archetypal 'killer app' - it's one of the best examples ever of intrinsic functionality driving demand for a cellphone, or any device for that matter," explains Jason Levin, MD of HDI Youth Marketeers, which annually conducts and consolidates the urban youth market research. "The service turned the phone, originally a smartphone used for business purposes, into a cool tool for youth."
Craige Fleischer, regional director Southern Africa at RIM, the company behind the BlackBerry solution adds, "Generation Y's choice of the smartphone for the coolest brand overall reflects the importance it has assumed in the increasingly connected lives of a tech-savvy generation. They have become the choice of South Africa's youth because they are both aspirational and affordable."
Repeat winners
CAR has been voted the Coolest Male Magazine for the third successive year, recognising the magazine's initiatives in reaching SA's young movers and shakers where they play - in the new media space - said the magazine's publisher, Neil Piper. He cited the magazine's recent augmented reality cover and QR codes used in its pages as an example of its ongoing innovation.
"We realise how important it is for us to stay relevant to our large base of tech-savvy young readers. Using technology this way, allows content to come alive for this segment of our audience, enabling them to interact with their favourite motoring brand and establish brand loyalty from early on," he said.
Other repeat winners include ABSA as the 'Coolest' Bank, Pick n Pay as the 'Coolest' Grocery Store and 5FM as the 'Coolest' Radio Station. Newcomers in the top five rankings include Jay Jays, Avon, 8.ta and Top Gear in their respective categories.
Media consumption is bite-sized
Additional insights from the lifestyle and consumer behaviour segment of the study show how young urbanites consume media and how it influences their broader lifestyle habits. Living in a brand-cluttered environment, young urbanites have acquired the capacity to dismiss immediately branded content that doesn't appeal to them.
They tend to consume bite-sized portions of information as opposed to copy-heavy content. Though most might not yet be able to drive a car, they're almost certainly convinced they can take control of their media experience and marketers are ill-advised to connect with them in a way that undermines this.
Relevance, connections
Relevance is also very much top of the list, with the youth unequivocally demanding that in order for brands to entice them they need to really know them. "Youth demand irresistibility in a brand - and that's possible to do but it does require investigation, exploration, bravery and willingness," continues Levin. "It's worth doing though because only irresistible brands will have the necessary traction and stickiness to succeed with this generation."
With this advice comes the understanding that a 'spray and pray' approach to marketing will garner quantity brand awareness but does not guarantee quality brand awareness. "Connect with the people you want to have spread the word about your brand," advises Levin. "Make them the focus of your communication, keep them captivated and enticed and you'll undoubtedly reach their peers, and their peers."
Levin concludes, "Brands need to understand how to involve young consumers, which a survey such as this helps achieve. Bear in mind that over 50% of South Africa is under the age of 23 and spent in 2010 alone, R95.3 billion."
The survey will be available as a supplement in the 29 May 2011 edition of The Sunday Times.
Results of the survey
Category
Ranking
Brand
All Groups %
Coolest Brand Overall
1
Blackberry
21.1
2
BMW
16.0
3
Coca-Cola
11.6
1
Ayoba! (MTN)
27.03
Coolest Brand Slogan
2
Just Do It (Nike)
19.86
3
So Much More (DStv)
15.06
1
BMW
21.37
Coolest Corporate Citizen
2
Woolworths
17.43
3
Coca-Cola
10.61
1
ABSA
51.88
Coolest Bank
2
FNB
47.17
3
Standard Bank
42.89
1
BlackBerry
64.6
Coolest Cell Phones
2
Nokia
44.5
3
Apple iPhone
30.58
1
Mr Price
21.98
Coolest Fashion and Accessory Store
2
Edgars
15.44
3
Jay Jays
13.46
1
SAA (South African Airways)
71.18
Coolest Domestic Airline
2
Mango
41.66
3
BA (British Airways)
31.69
1
Aquafresh
75.04
Coolest Toothpaste (New!)
2
Colgate
69.23
3
Sensodyne
22.26
1
Nike
20.64
Fashion Brand
2
Adidas
20.37
3
Guess
14.9
1
Protea Hotels
33.6
Coolest Hotel Group
2
Sun International
30.69
3
Southern Sun
30.05
1
Gateway Theatre of Shopping
19.2
Coolest Shopping Mall
2
Sandton City
18.88
3
Canal Walk
15.7
1
CEO (The Boss)
20.83
Coolest Job
2
Actor/Actress
12.99
3
Own Business (Entrepreneur)
12.44
1
Siphiwe Tshabalala
38.35
Coolest Local Sportsman (New!)
2
Bryan Habana
32.05
3
Itumeleng Khune
29.9
1
Natalie du Toit
43.79
Coolest Local Sportswoman (New!)
2
Caster Semenya
33.61
3
Roxy Louw
29.88
1
DJ Cleo
33.88
Coolest Local DJ (Radio and/or Club) (New!)
2
Black Coffee
30.39
3
DJ Fresh
26.38
1
Menzi Ngubane
24.39
Coolest Local Male TV Star (New!)
2
Zola
20.39
3
Chris Beasley
15.4
1
Bonang Matheba
17.92
Coolest Local Female TV Star (New!)
2
Charlize Theron
17.62
3
Sophie Ndaba
15.95
1
Liquideep
24.3
Coolest Local Music Star (Band or Person) (New!)
2
Big Nuz
24
3
Black Coffee
21.41
1
Big Nuz
27.63
Coolest Local Celebrities
2
Trevor Noah
27
3
DJ Cleo
26.45
1
Julius Malema
28.74
Biggest Local Newsmaker (New!)
2
Jacob Zuma
26.26
3
Bheki Cele
17.68
1
Trevor Noah
52.23
Coolest Local Comedian (New!)
2
David Kau
28.43
3
Leon Schuster
24.25
1
Uzzi
20.55
Coolest Alternative Fashion Brand
2
Aca Joe
12.95
3
Jay Jays
12.6
1
Vodacom
57.68
Coolest Telecoms Provider
2
MTN
54.96
3
Cell C
33.95
1
Lamborghini
37.35
Coolest Ultra Luxury Motor Vehicle (New!)
2
Ferrari
30.97
3
Aston Martin
30.57
1
BMW
37.47
Coolest Motor Vehicle
2
Audi
26.18
3
Mercedes-Benz
24.21
1
Cape Town
46.49
Coolest Local Holiday Destination
2
Durban
30.96
3
Johannesburg
13.15
1
Gold Reef City
37.7
Coolest Local Fun Destination
2
Sun City
34.92
3
uShaka Marine World
28.34
1
Engen
44.79
Coolest Petrol Station
2
BP
35.96
3
Shell
34.85
1
Nike
39.8
Coolest Sports Store
2
Adidas
37.07
3
Totalsports
25.19
Coolest Hi-Tech Gadget
1
BlackBerry
33.23
2
Laptop
25.99
3
Apple iPhone
23.73
Coolest Cell Phone Application
1
BlackBerry Messenger (BBM)
43.14
2
MXit
41.76
3
Facebook
34.2
Coolest Computer Brand
1
Apple Mac
35.81
2
Samsung
34.4
3
Sony
25.54
Coolest Weekly Newspaper
1
Sunday Times
55.64
2
City Press
36.16
3
Sunday Sun
35.12
If you had 1 hour to watch what would you watch?
1
Movies
36.44
2
Music
35.53
3
Comedy
33.8
Coolest Daily Newspaper
1
Daily Sun
42.46
2
The Times
22.75
3
The Star
22.07
Coolest TV Channel
1
Trace (DStv 325)
19.9
2
Disney Channel (DStv 303)
18.33
3
VUZU (DStv 123)
15.83
Coolest TV Programme
1
Generations
19.95
2
Dragon Ball Z
19.89
3
Gossip Girl
11.77
Coolest TV Music Channel
1
Trace (DStv 325)
54.14
2
Channel O (DStv 320)
36.82
3
MTV Base (DStv 322)
34.36
Coolest Talk and Magazine Show
1
Top Gear
24.02
2
The Oprah Winfrey Show
23.47
3
The Tyra Banks Show
19.9
Coolest Cartoon Show
1
Dragon Ball Z
28.21
2
Ben 10
21.69
3
Tom & Jerry
20.66
Coolest TV Soap
1
Generations
49.24
2
Rhythm City
33.43
3
7de Laan
30.38
Coolest Kids TV Block
1
Disney
53.38
2
Cartoon Network
44.84
3
Nickelodeon
26.43
Coolest Reality TV Show
1
So You Think You Can Dance?
23.44
2
SA's Got Talent
22.22
3
America's Next Top Model
15.98
Coolest Music Retailer Online or Physical Store
1
Musica
50.99
2
Look & Listen
23.94
3
Nokia Music Store
23.53
Coolest Radio Station
1
5FM
40.54
2
Metro FM
30.04
3
YFM
17.6
Coolest Magazine - Males
1
CAR
39.37
2
Speed & Sound
18.04
3
FHM
18.03
Coolest Magazine - Females
1
YOU
19.11
2
Seventeen
18.33
3
Drum
17.86
Coolest Breakfast Cereal
1
Kellogg's Coco Pops
28.56
2
Kellogg's Corn Flakes
28.45
3
Nestlé Milo
22.27
Coolest International Celebrity
1
Nicki Minaj
17
2
Drake
15.11
3
Lil Wayne
14.39
Coolest Grocery Store
1
Pick n Pay
49.35
2
Woolworths Food
41.38
3
Checkers
24.01
Coolest Dairy Drink
1
Yogi Sip
44.64
2
UltraMel Custard
27.46
3
Nestlé Milo
27.29
Coolest Fast Food Place
1
KFC
34.18
2
McDonald's
32.19
3
Debonairs
26.09
Coolest Eat Out Place
1
Spur
27.77
2
Wimpy
14.45
3
Ocean Basket
13.16
Coolest Energy Product
1
Red Bull
35.42
2
Bar-One
30.82
3
Energade
26.11
Coolest Snack
1
Doritos
52.51
2
Simba Chips
35.25
3
Lay's
27.39
Coolest Cold Drink
1
Coca-Cola
43.65
2
Appletiser
28.22
3
Iron Brew
19.08
Coolest University or College
1
University of Cape Town (UCT)
33.59
2
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
17.73
3
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
16.85
Coolest Sweet
1
Jelly Tots
28.12
2
Pin Pop
17.61
3
Smarties
15.84
Coolest Chocolate
1
Bar-One
23.43
2
Aero
19.57
3
Cadbury Dairy Milk
15.38
Coolest Coffee Shop
1
Mugg & Bean
40.23
2
Wimpy
37.77
3
McDonald's McCafé
28.64
Coolest Animated Brand or Entertainment Character
1
SpongeBob Squarepants
31.65
2
Ben 10
26.41
3
Batman
17.82
Coolest Yoghurt
1
NutriDay
51.99
2
Woolworths Yoghurt
34.63
3
Danino
28.15
Coolest Fragrance - Males
1
Hugo Boss
30.6
2
Puma
29.19
3
Guess
22.24
Coolest Fragrance - Females
1
Guess
28.14
2
Puma
25.59
3
Dolce & Gabbana (D&G)
23.01
Coolest Male Deodorant
1
AXE
32.31
2
Playboy
27.65
3
Adidas
27.05
Coolest Skincare Product
1
Avon
24.43
2
Nivea
22.85
3
Lux
16.46
Coolest Female Deodorant
1
Pink Happiness
23.61
2
Adidas
22.86
3
Playgirl
22.56
Top 5 things you can't live without ...
1
Cellphone
46.5
2
Family
43.47
3
Parents
29.15
Coolest Feminine Hygiene Product
1
Always
56.69
2
Kotex
29.37
3
Lil-lets
24.84
Coolest Specialist Health and Beauty Store
1
Clicks
44.56
2
Edgars
34.58
3
Woolworths
34.52
Coolest Make-Up Brand
1
Avon
33.83
2
Yardley
21.54
3
Revlon
20.76
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