James R | On 24, Sep 2014

Netflix is now officially “cool” in the UK.

The Internet TV service has long positioned itself as the hip, new alternative to traditional TV – with its edgier content (Orange Is the New Black) and all-at-once releases – but now it has officially broken into Britain’s list of coolest brands.

The latest CoolBrands list sees Netflix enter the charts at number 10, above Bang & Olufsen, Ray-Ban and Alexander McQueen.

Netflix is below YouTube, which is in seventh place (one below Google), but above the extremely trendy Instagram – which, also making its debut at number 14, has effectively replaced Twitter, which no longer makes the cool cut. BBC iPlayer has made a similar exit, falling from 16th place last year to outside of the top 20, as well as music streaming service Spotify (20th in 2013, now absent).

With iPlayer usage constantly growing, there is no correlation between popularity or commercial success and coolness, but a glance at the top of the league reveals the importance of perception: Apple remains the “coolest brand” for the third year in a row, a status that has helped its products become must-have fashion items as well as useful gadgets. When Apple announced its new iPhone and watch, it wasn’t just a product launch; it was an event.

CoolBrands spokesman Stephen Cheliotis says it is “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,” he adds.

Indeed, the chart also reveals the gap that exists between Netflix and its rival, Amazon – whose VOD service has the distinctly uncool name “Amazon Prime Instant Video”. Put simply, Netflix is cooler than Amazon. With the retailer about to launch its own edgy TV series – Transparent – on Friday, will it one day be able to close that perception gap?

Here’s the full CoolBrands Top 20 for 2014/15:

1. Apple
2. Aston Martin
3. Nike
4. Chanel
5. Glastonbury
6. Google
7. YouTube
8. Dom Pérignon
9. Rolex
10. Netflix
11. Bang & Olufsen
12. Ray-Ban
13. Alexander McQueen
14. Instagram
15. Bose
16. Liberty
17. Selfridges
18. Sony
19. Virgin Atlantic
20. Stella McCartney

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