Achingly cool with custard

To those pondering the definition of "cool", here it is - listening to MiCasa on an Apple iPhone wearing a pair of Nikes and sipping UltraMel custard while browsing around Mr Price at Sandton City and you would have to be a CEO.

Last night the winners of the Sunday Times Generation Next awards were announced at the Montecasino entertainment complex, Johannesburg.

Close to 6000 eight- to 23-year-olds voted for their coolest brands in the Generation Next survey, intended to pin down what products are making the biggest impact on the lives of the younger crowd.

"This year marks a decade of the Generation Next awards," said Trevor Ormerod, general manager, Times Media group sales.

BMW was voted the coolest brand overall, and BlackBerry was knocked off the coolest cellphone podium by Apple's iPhone.

Samsung triumphed as the coolest computer brand and its Galaxy tablet won the award for the coolest hi-tech gadget .

The coolest celebrities were also named.

Minnie Dlamini got the vote for the coolest female TV star, and Trevor Noah was not only voted top local male TV star but also the coolest local celebrity.

Olympic swimmers Chad le Clos and Natalie du Toit were the winning sports stars.

• The survey identified the things youngsters really can't live without as family and parents, closely followed by cellphones, clothing, music - and money.