Google is lit, fam! At least according to a survey commissioned by Google, titled “It’s Lit”, which the company says is a guide to what today’s US teens think is cool.
Today’s teens, otherwise known as Gen Z, apparently think Google is very cool. In a list of top 10 brands it ranked third behind YouTube (which Google owns) and Netflix. Another Google brand also made the list, which you’ll see in the full top 10 list below:
- YouTube
- Netflix
- Xbox
- Oreo
- GoPro
- PlayStation
- Doritos
- Nike
- Chrome
Apple, which is the world’s most valuable brand, didn’t quite crack the top 10. Neither did any of Google’s main competitors. The big G is miles ahead in terms of coolness factor with today’s teens.
Why does any of this matter? Google says Gen Z is the most informed and connected generation yet, representing more than a quarter of the US population with an estimated purchasing power of $200B annually (factoring in parental influence).
”Unlike millennials, this group is ambitious, engaged, and feel like they can change the world. For Generation Z, what’s cool is also a representation of their values, their expectations of themselves, their peers, and the brands they hold in the highest regard.”
By association, search is also cool. To Gen Z, Google is synonymous with search, which the company says is part of what makes it cool.
”To teens, Google means having all the information you could ever need at your fingertips, which is remarkable. Teens also think Google is cool because it is popular (search engine), innovative (self driving cars, glass), creative (Google Doodles and easter eggs) and has good values.”
As the survey concludes, one of the main reasons why Google is held is such high esteem with today’s teens could be because they never knew the world before internet. Since the day they were born, everything they’ve ever needed has always been one click away.
Google commissioned 3 research studies in the United States to gather the data for this survey. The studies polled US teens ages 13–17, as well as US millennials ages 18–25, between May 2016 and July 2016.
