Throughout the day, marketing executives sat on panels touting “cool” products, much to the amusement of the audience.  Backpedaling would ensue.  “Woops,” the panelists would say.  “Didn’t mean to say it was cool.”

But a bigger insight into the mind of the Millennials may have surfaced, and it has nothing to do with a word.  Rather, it’s the perceived authenticity – or lack thereof – that comes with calling something “cool.”

How to replace it?  The most important message of the day may have been that Millennials want simplicity, not “cool.”  They want things easy and fast, without fancy bells and whistles.

There may not be, in other words, a word to replace the idea of “cool.”  Something’s either cool or it isn’t, and touting or hyping it does nothing.  Put out a product, make it authentic, be honest, and let the audience say “cool” for you.

 
Scott Goldberg