There are those who perennially insist that Apple has 'lost its touch', or that it just doesn't have the same appeal that it once did, or that people are starting to realise that there are better products out there, or... whatever.
Despite these ramblings, Apple just keeps on raking in cash at an absolutely phenomenal pace, and every time it launches a new device, we're reminded of its immense appeal among consumers of all ages, as people queue - sometimes for days - to get their hands on one.
Those who still insist that the Apple brand has lost its lustre will probably want to stick their heads in the sand right about now. For the third consecutive year, Apple has been voted the UK's coolest brand, beating Aston Martin and Nike, which came in second and third places respectively.
The UK CoolBrands index is independently assessed by The Centre for Brand Analysis, and is based both on the opinions of a panel of experts and 'influencers' - including the likes of fashion designer Julien Macdonald OBE, actress Sadie Frost, model Jodie Kidd and singer Charlie XCX - and on votes cast by a sample of 'ordinary' Brits. Factors including style, innovation, originality, 'authenticity', desirability and uniqueness are those that define a 'CoolBrand'.
Google wasn't too far behind Apple in the 2014/15 CoolBrands list, slotting in at number 6, just ahead of YouTube in 7th place, which is also a Google brand, of course. Netflix made its way onto the list for the first time this year, making an impressive debut at number 10.
Instagram also made its first appearance on the list in 14th place - particularly interesting, given that rival social network Twitter has now been dropped from the top-20 list for the first time in three years. Here's the full list:
- Apple
- Aston Martin
- Nike
- Chanel
- Glastonbury
- YouTube
- Dom Perignon
- Rolex
- Netflix
- Bang & Olufsen
- Ray-Ban
- Alexander McQueen
- Bose
- Liberty
- Selfridges
- Sony
- Virgin Atlantic
- Stella McCartney
Stephen Cheliotis, spokesperson for CoolBrands, said that "this year's rankings illustrate that a solid reputation is hard to undermine or, in the case of rivals, overcome" - a reference to the numerous brands that have remained in the top-20 for several years.
However, he added that "it was refreshing to see unique and original brands such as Instagram and Netflix join the top 20. Both have had an impact on the market, shaking up the status quo and forcing rivals to up the ante."
It doesn't look like Apple should be too worried about losing its top spot though. Cheliotis said that Apple "continues to dominate the listing and remains untouchable for now."
Source: CoolBrands via The Guardian
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