ChatGPT and PepsiCo’s Starry were the fastest-growing brands of the year: report

ChatGPT was the fastest-growing brand of 2023, according to a new report.

No, AI didn’t write it. Morning Consult’s analyst team did, after tracking the share of US adults who said they were considering purchasing from a brand in January versus the share who said the same in October in order to determine growth.

The OpenAI chatbot, which was released late last year, overtook TikTok as the fastest-growing consumer app ever by January, per the report. OpenAI also made the top 20, as did several social media and beverage brands, though the lists differ fairly significantly across generations.

Tech check: In addition to being the fastest-growing brand among all US adults, ChatGPT landed in the top five fastest-growing brands among Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X. It didn’t, however, appear to make it on the radar of baby boomers. (Probably safe to say your parents aren’t using AI to write their holiday cards.)

Facebook was the fastest-growing social media brand, ranking at No. 8 on the all adults list. Instagram Reels trailed at No. 9, with YouTube Shorts at No. 17 and Instagram at No. 18.

When breaking down brands across age groups, YouTubeTV was the fastest-growing platform among Gen Z, X for millennials, Instagram Reels for Gen X, and YouTube Shorts for boomers.

Generational differences: ChatGPT was No. 5 on the Gen Z list, preceded by Kraft, NYX Professional Makeup, cruise company Holland America Line, and Modelo Especial. The makeup brand in particular had a few products go viral on TikTok this year, Morning Consult Brands Analyst Ellyn Briggs noted in the report. As for the rest, Gen Zers are apparently dreaming of washing down some mac ’n’ cheese with a Modelo on a cruise.

Among millennials, ChatGPT claimed the top spot, followed by Shein, Coke Zero Sugar, and X. Zelle was the fastest-growing brand among Gen X, followed by ChatGPT. For boomers, Southwest Airlines was the fastest-growing brand, followed by Lipton, Google Search, and Ruffles. Captain Morgan also made their top 20 at No. 11. Okay, boomers.

Star turn: PepsiCo’s Starry, the soft-drink brand’s successor to Sierra Mist, was the second-fastest-growing brand among all US adults. Its NBA partnership “made its launch this year extra buzzy,” Briggs said in the report, “and its marketing efforts since have been focused on attracting young consumers via TikTok.”

Other beverage brands on the overall list include Twisted Tea at No. 5, Coke Zero Sugar at No. 10, and Keystone Light at No. 16. Natural Light was the only alcohol brand to crack the top 20 among millennials.

Swing for the fences: Just one sports brand made the overall top 20: sports entertainment chain Topgolf. As the golf industry has pushed to modernize its reputation in recent years, Topgolf in particular has found success growing its audience on TikTok, which could help explain its No. 13 position on the list.

Major League Soccer was the only league to appear anywhere in the report, and was ranked the seventh-fastest-growing brand among millennials. MLS rebranded its Leagues Cup this year in an attempt to get it on the radars of more fans, and surely the Messi effect was a factor in the league’s growth, too.