Innovation and the "Cool Factor"
Professor Michael Bills, from Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, responds to the question of "cool" as it relates to innovation. Bills explains that much the "cool factor" has to do with the brand and brand loyalty. Consumers' perception of brands communicate how innovative a company is, whether or not it's actually true. Bills mentioned Google as an example of an innovative company with a high "cool factor."
http://fisher.osu.edu/execed/