Are You Cool? You're Probably Not, If You're Reading This!

Do you want to be cool? If you're reading this, you're probably not!

Newswise.com says coolness, by its nature, is ephemeral, elusive and ever-evolving.

In the marketplace, coolness excites consumers, steers purchase behaviors and dictates trends. Coolness is something wanted by most and valued by consumers and marketers alike, but understood by few.

But a new study says that coolness is a merger of autonomy, authenticity, attitude, and a fourth trait, association, which is helpful but not essential, according to the web site.

• In the study, autonomy referred to lack of conformity, unconventionality, rebellion, individuality and independence. In other words, people or brands high in autonomy are those who do their own thing, which often goes against the expectations of others.

It's important to note that a “cool” product does not necessarily mean a “good” product, and having a cool product, or marketing a product as it will not work for every product category. In some specific categories, mainstream norms are preferred. Consumers want their Q-tips, Band-Aids and salt to come with few, if any, surprises.

• To be authentic, one must act and carry yourself in a way that is true to your own personality and character. As highly sophisticated social beings, we are adept at reading subtle clues to determine whether someone is “being themselves” or trying to pass as something they are not. While simply being authentic is not enough to achieve outright coolness, either for a person or a product, it remains an indispensable ingredient in that ineffable quality.
• While authentic autonomy can lead to coolness, the effort to achieve the quality may fail if the actor does not possess the right attitude throughout the process. Actors cannot look as though they are trying to be cool, as this is decidedly uncool to do. Instead, actors want to carry an attitude that is a combination of confidence and sprezzatura, an Italian term that captures the idea of causal effortlessness.  Coolness at its core is an act of rebellion against the mundane, and in order to make such a statement, whether through your action, personality or consumption, you need the credibility that can only come from confidence.  Coolness more often than not requires skill and significant preparation or forethought, but advertising the effort required ultimately diminishes others’ perception of coolness. This is why sprezzatura can be an integral piece of coolness.
• Finally, coolness can be imbued (although it is not a necessary precondition for coolness) through association with an existing brand, place or person who has already attained cool status. This is a far quicker and easier path for establishing coolness in a product or person than building an organic movement from scratch.

So, are you cool?  I guess it depends, in the end, as it always does, on the people who hang out with you!