Millennials make up a crucial group of consumers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Millennials reveal their top 100 favorite brands
Millennials' favorite brands according to spending data from more than 15,000 18 to 35-year-olds demographic.
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
However, the generation's favorite brands may not be what you'd guess.
Ad agency Moosylvania analyzed 15,000 responses from millennials — age 17 to 37 — that the agency has collected over the last five years on their favorite brands.
"It’s all about what you do for them, and making them look good is a key," Norty Cohen, CEO of Moosylvania, said in a statement.
ADVERTISEMENT
Here are millennials' top 100 favorite brands, according to the survey:
100. Ross
Headquarters: Pleasanton, California
Why it's hot: As budget hunters ditch department stores like Sears and Macy's, the discount retailer is thriving.
99. Guess
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Why it's hot: The iconic jeans brand is trying to keep up with the times with new celebrity faces, such as singer Camilla Cabello.
98. Johnson & Johnson
Headquarters: New Brunswick, New Jersey
Why it's hot: Johnson & Johnson sells staples that fill many millennials' medicine cabinets, including Clean & Clear, Neutrogena, and Aveeno.
ADVERTISEMENT
97. Subway
Headquarters: Milford, Connecticut
Why it's hot: Subway is undergoing a brand revamp, with new menu items and updated restaurant designs.
96. Anthropologie
Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: The cult favorite apparel brand expanded into skincare this year, with an organic line called Puristy.
95. Urban Decay
Headquarters: Newport Beach, California
Why it's hot: The makeup brand makes some of Sephora's best-selling items, with products for your eyes, lips, and face.
94. YouTube (tie)
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: San Bruno, California
Why it's hot: YouTube has created an entire generation of online celebrities, such as Jake Paul and PewDiePie.
94. Anheuser-Busch (tie)
Headquarters: Leuven, Belgium
Why it's hot: The beer company has been buying up craft brewers such as Goose Island, Blue Point, and Wicked Weed.
ADVERTISEMENT
93. Toshiba (tie)
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Why it's hot: Toshiba makes everything from tech equipment to household appliances to medical supplies.
93. Publix (tie)
Headquarters: Lakeland, Florida
ADVERTISEMENT
92. Carter's
91. Mazda
Headquarters:
Why it's hot: Mazda is known for its sleek aesthetic. Tesla even poached its head designer.
90. REI (tie)
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Kent, Washington
Why it's hot: The outdoor clothing store is thriving as millennials seek out more experiences like camping and hiking.
90. Southwest Airlines (tie)
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
Why it's hot: Southwest Airlines have made multiple efforts to appeal to millennials, such as its Music + Ideas Festival, which allowed college students to present their ideas for start-ups to venture capitalists and investors.
ADVERTISEMENT
89. Audi
Headquarters: Ingolstadt, Germany
Why it's hot:ABC reported that the company has been focusing on marketing to young people and using social media to engage.
88. Facebook
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Facebook has launched a "stories" feature to compete with Snapchat and Instagram.
87. Monster Energy
Headquarters: Corona, California
Why it's hot: As soda sales slump, energy drinks are hot. Analysts say that consumers, especially millennials, are gravitating toward beverages that offer more than just hydration.
86. JCPenney
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Plano, Texas
Why it's hot: The company is launching a "Project Runway" fashion line in an attempt to adopt a more fast-fashion model.
85. HTC
Headquarters: Taoyuan, Taiwan
Why it's hot: HTC launched the first smartphone with Amazon's Alexa built in.
ADVERTISEMENT
84. AT&T
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
Why it's hot: AT&T is the world's largest telecom company.
83. Burger King
Headquarters: Miami, Florida
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: The fast-food chain pairs quirky menu items like Mac and Cheetos with serious discounts, such as the
82. Nestle
Headquarters: Vevey, Switzerland
Why it's hot: While Nestle is best known for its many popular candies, the company is taking steps in a healthier direction.
81. Wendy's
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio
Why it's hot: While fast-food chains like Burger King and Taco Bell have doubled down on crazy menu items, Wendy's has focused on the classics that made it famous.
80. Barnes & Noble
Headquarters: New York City
Why it's hot: The retailer is engaged with a battle against Amazon for college students.
ADVERTISEMENT
79. Puma
Headquarters: Herzogenaurach, Germany
Why it's hot: The sportswear and sneaker brand's collaboration with Rihanna was a bestseller.
78. J. Crew
Headquarters: New York, NY
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: The brand continues to connect with millennial women and men.
77. Dove
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Why it's hot: Dove's gender-empowering ads have hit a chord with millennial women.
76. Gucci (tie)
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Florence, Italy
Why it's hot: Gucci has been zeroing in on its social media strategy.
76. Jeep (tie)
Headquarters: Auburn Hills, MI
Why it's hot: Some people think that one of Jeep's Renegade was designed specifically with millennials in mind.
ADVERTISEMENT
75. Tesla
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
Why it's hot: Thrillist called Tesla's Model 3 "the millennial dream car," with its high technology and functionality.
74. Subaru
Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Subaru's strange ads, most recently one that showed a car on wet banana peels, have put the brand on the map.
74. Banana Republic
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Why it's hot: Banana Republic is putting out new designs faster, similar to fast fashion.
72. Pizza Hut
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Plano, Texas
Why it's hot: Pizza Hut has pulled off several social media stunts, from turning a pizza box into a movie projector for your smartphone to hacking a box to safely view the solar eclipse.
71. Valve
Headquarters: Bellevue, Washington
Why it's hot: The video-game development company rose to prominence with its Half-Life franchise in 1998. The brand has a huge following on Facebook and frequently posts giveaways. Steam has also become the premiere gaming platform for many people.
ADVERTISEMENT
70. Marvel
Headquarters: New York, NY
Why it's hot: Marvel is obviously a huge power force in pop culture — its "Avengers" movies (amongst others) are smash hits, grossing billions of dollars worldwide.
69. Bath & Body Works
Headquarters: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Bath & Body Works was an icon in the late '90s and early aughts (and a mainstay for holiday gifts).
68. Dodge
Headquarters: Auburn Hills, Michigan
Why it's hot: Business Insider reported that JD Power said the Dodge Viper as the most "reliable" midsize sporty car. Data from IHS Automotive (via AutoGuide.com) ranked Dodge as millennials' favorite type of car.
67. Rue 21
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Warrendale, Pennsylvania
Why it's hot: The brand has figured out a way to target budget-savvy young shoppers. This year, it partnered with UNiDAYS to help it find students so they could save on their purchases.
66. Whole Foods
Headquarters: Austin, Texas
Why it's hot: Whole Foods has a brand aimed at millennials called 365. The new concept aims to compete with rivals such as Trader Joe's and Kroger, with more inexpensive offerings and a no-frills set up.
ADVERTISEMENT
65. Asus
Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
Why it's hot: This Taiwanese company is a huge PC vendor, and it's actually working to understand the millennial demographic.
64. Nordstrom
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Nordstrom has been expanding its lower-priced concept, Nordstrom Rack.
63. Trader Joe's
Headquarters: Monrovia, California
Why it's hot: Organic food, unique products, and low prices make Trader Joe's a hot destination for young consumers. It also boasts its own unique personality — be it the Hawaiian shirts or the pun-laden signs around the stores.
62. Mountain Dew
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Purchase, New York
Why it's hot: Mountain Dew is diverifying with its morning "Kickstart" beverage.
61. Verizon
Headquarters: New York, New York
Why it's hot: Verizon has been working to get younger consumers with its streaming app, G090.
ADVERTISEMENT
60. Coach
Headquarters: New York, New York
Why it's hot: Coach's social media activity and campaigns have made the luxury brand accessible to younger shoppers.
59. PlayStation
Headquarters: San Mateo, California
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: PlayStation is taking its gaming to the next level with two new Playstation 4s, as well as a virtual reality headset.
58. eBay
Headquarters: San Jose, California
Why it's hot: eBay remains the most comprehensive and accessible online marketplace.
57. Nissan
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa Perfecture, Japan
Place on last poll: 76
Why it's hot: Nissan's latest car concept is super futuristic, and proves that the brand is continuing to innovate. An earlier concept car, called "Teatro for Dayz," set out to target millennials.
56. Kraft
Headquarters: Northfield, Illinois
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot:Kraft announced that it would remove artificial colors and preservatives from its iconic mac and cheese.
55. Kellogg
Headquarters: Battle Creek, Michigan
Why it's hot: Millennials may be too lazy to eat cereal, but the company has mastered digital campaigns, which certainly appeals to millennials.
54. Taco Bell
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Irvine, California
Why it's hot: Taco Bell remains wildly popular. The brand has maintained its unique, Internet-friendly approach to menu items.
53. Aeropostale
Headquarters: New York, New York
Why it's hot: Despite falling out of favor with the teen set, Aeropostale apparently still maintains some cache with the 20-somethings who wore it in high school.
ADVERTISEMENT
52. Ralph Lauren
Headquarters: New York, New York
Why it's hot: Ralph Lauren's brand is available at thousands of stores worldwide.
51. Chipotle
Headquarters: Denver, Colorado
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: The "food with integrity" restaurant company frequently offers free food — and free booze.
50. Costco
Headquarters: Issaquah, Washington
Place on last poll: 81
Why it's hot: Costco is a haven for millennials with its prices, wide array of products, its killer food court... and vacation packages.
ADVERTISEMENT
49. Hewlett-Packard
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
Why it's hot: Young consumers love Hewlett-Packard's relatively inexpensive laptops. Still, they remained threatened by Apple's dominance in the industry.
48. Sephora
Headquarters: Paris, France
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Sephora is the premiere destination for all things beauty. It helps that makeup is one of the categories that millennials are willing to spend on.
47. Dell
Headquarters: Round Rock, Texas
Why it's hot: Dell is another company benefiting from millennials' reliance on technology.
46. Kroger
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
Why it's hot: Kroger recently rolled out a meal kit service to compete with Blue Apron. It also lets customers order groceries ahead and pick them up from the parking lot.
45. Hershey
Headquarters: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Why it's hot: Iconic candy company Hershey's has dropped artificial coloring from its chocolate.
ADVERTISEMENT
44. Gamestop
Headquarters: Grapevine, Texas
Why it's hot: GameStop is shifting its strategies so that it can win with this demographic.
43. Netflix
Headquarters: Los Gatos, California
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: The streaming service is perfect for millennials' a la carte attitude for watching movies or television.
42. Frito-Lay
Headquarters: Plano, Texas
Why it's hot: Lay's won big with its annual Do Us A Flavor contest.
26. Michael Kors
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: New York, New York
Place on last poll: 66
Why it's hot: Michael Kors bags and watches are very popular with millennials.
40. Chick-fil-A
Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Chick-fil-A remains a favorite destination for millennials because the food is fresh... and good.
39. Hollister
Headquarters: New Albany, Ohio
Why it's hot: Hollister sells casual clothing, putting it in a good position as millennials dress more casually.
40. Levi's
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Why it's hot: Levi's has been designing jeans that are stretchy and more form-fitting in nature, to put them in line with athleisure-style apparel.
21. Kroger
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
Place on last poll: 59
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Kroger's loyalty cards track what shoppers buy — so that Kroger's shoppers don't just receive random rewards, but rather, rewards that cater to their specific shopping needs.
37. Honda
Headquarters: Hamamatsu, Japan
Why it's hot: The Civic and Accord are big winners with the millennial crowd. The Washington Post recently crowned the Honda Civic as one of the seven best first cars for millennial drivers because of its size, redesign, and its high crash-test rating.
36. Gap
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Why it's hot: Gap has made over its brand to include the basics that it was known for in decades past.
35. Dr. Pepper
Headquarters: Plano, Texas
Why it's hot: Dr. Pepper launched individualized soda labels for its 20 ounce bottles, as a way to appeal to millennials.
ADVERTISEMENT
34. Vans
Headquarters: Cypress, California
Why it's hot: Vans started out selling skater shoes, but has since gone mainstream. The company has benefited from athletic footwear becoming more fashionable than dress shoes.
33. H&M
Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: H&M knows what its consumers want with its runway-esque styles. H&M has also managed to lure many sartorially minded shoppers with its high-profile collaborations.
32. Best Buy
Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Why it's hot: Consumers can even try out Oculus Rift virtual reality headsets out at Best Buy.
31. Converse
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Why it's hot: Converse has seen sales boom as more millennials wear sneakers to work and other occasions. Converse recently took on Nike to help reinvent its iconic All Star shoes
30. Macy's
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
Why it's hot: Millennials are spending less money on clothes and more money on experiences, which is bad news for Macy's. In its Herald Square flagship, there's an entire floor dedicated to the demographic.
ADVERTISEMENT
29. Hot Topic
Headquarters: Industry, California
Why it's hot: Hot Topic is more than just a destination for clothing for millennials — it's become an entire lifestyle, with its focus on the music industry and pop culture. The store even sponsors shows.
28. McDonald's
Headquarters: Oak Brook, Illinois
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: The new all-day breakfast menu helped grow sales at McDonald's, along with new menu items like a Sriracha Big Mac.
27. Chevrolet
Headquarters: Detroit, Michigan
Why it's hot:
26. LG Corporation
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Busan, South Korea
Why it's hot:
25. Kohl's
Headquarters: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Why it's hot: Kohl's rewards program ensures customer loyalty without needing a store credit card.
ADVERTISEMENT
24. Express
Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio
Why it's hot: Express rewards shoppers by not just using their store credit cards, but by getting involved with Express in other ways, too — like retweeting its tweets and singing up for its text message alerts.
23. Under Armour
Headquarters: Baltimore, Maryland
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot:
22. Toyota
Headquarters: Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Why it's hot: Toyota's mid size SUV is one of the most "reliable" cars. The company is also making moves to partner with Uber.
21. Old Navy
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: San Francisco
Why it's hot: Old Navy has delivered quirky spots starring Amy Schumer
20. Disney
Headquarters: Burbank, California
Why it's hot: The movie house has produced massive hits in recent years.
ADVERTISEMENT
16. American Eagle
Headquarters: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Why it's hot: American Eagle has managed to avoid the fate of many of its competitors by not falling victim to the low sale prices utilized by many fast fashion stalwarts.
18. Jordan
Headquarters: Beaverton, Oregon
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Jordans are a huge part of the sneaker phenomenon and are a huge part of sneaker culture.
17. Forever 21
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Why it's hot: Forever 21 offers clothing at unbeatable prices and has expanded tremendously in two decades. It epitomizes fast fashion.
16. Ford
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Dearborn, Michigan
Why it's hot: Ford wins big with the millennial mom category.
15. Victoria's Secret
Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio
Why it's hot: Victoria's Secret is the undisputed leader of the lingerie market, controlling 61.8% of the market share, according to IBIS World.
ADVERTISEMENT
14. Starbucks
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Why it's hot:
13. Pepsi
Headquarters: Purchase, New York
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot:
12. Nintendo
Headquarters: Kyoto, Japan
Why it's hot: Many millennials feel nostalgic toward Nintendo because they played its games as kids. This has led to brand loyalty in adulthood.
11. Adidas
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Herzogenaurach, Germany
Why it's hot: Adidas has gained more traction thanks to its increasingly popular Stan Smith sneakers, as well as its partnership with Kanye West called Adidas + Kanye West.
10. Google
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Why it's hot: Google's smartphone apps have become essential for many millennials.
ADVERTISEMENT
9. Coca-Cola
Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia
Why it's hot:
8. Microsoft
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Microsoft is currently working to lure in Apple users with the Microsoft Surface.
7. Wal-Mart
Headquarters: Bentonville, Arkansas
Why it's hot:
6. Sony
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Minato, Tokyo
Why it's hot: Sony is ready for innovation, from robots that can interact with humans to its wildly popular PlayStation.
5. Amazon
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Why it's hot:one-hour delivery
ADVERTISEMENT
4. Target
Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Why it's hot: Target owns the intersection of style and affordability.
3. Samsung
Headquarters: San Jose, California
ADVERTISEMENT
Why it's hot: Samsung's Galaxy phones and tablets are extremely popular with millennials.
2. Nike
Headquarters: Beaverton, Oregon
Why it's hot:
1. Apple
ADVERTISEMENT
Headquarters: Cupertino, California
Why it's hot: Apple has a fanatical following, and many of its customers are millennials. The company's iPhones, iPads, and Macbooks, and Apple Watches are wildly popular.
FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
Top 10 African countries with the most centi-millionaires in 2024
7 most influential Africans in the world 2024 -TIME
5 African countries with the least expensive freelancers
African billionaires are fleeing their home continent amidst economic downturn
Fear of a new epidemic pushes President Putin to collaborate with Africa
Nigerian chess master to begin 58-hour Guinness World Record attempt at Times Square today
5 African countries with the highest number of people not connected to the internet
10 African countries with the highest price changes in household commodities
