The Rise and Fall of Trends

Welcome back to An Unfair Advantage. For our February edition, we’re diving into a topic we get asked about all the time. Trends. So here’s our take on the lifecycle of a trend.

Explore the endless cycles of trends, from the mighty rise to the ever-so-quick fall and how it starts all over again.

tl;dr: Trends come and go, driven by creativity, timing, and social buzz. They shape our preferences and culture but also fade away with saturation and evolving tastes. It's a cycle reflecting society's ever-changing values. Trends rule the scene from fashion runways to TikTok, but their rise and fall are equally fascinating.

Definition of a Trend

Here at Rehab, we define trends as a demonstrable pattern of behavior or recurrent theme, shown over time, relating to a demographic, culture, concept or combination thereof. Trends could be emerging, micro, macro or mega. However, it all consists of three pillars, velocity, volume and scalability over time.

In our world, understanding trends goes beyond just spotting what's popular, it's about delving deep into the digital chatter and data streams. Using our own trend and insight tools, we listen in on social conversations and sift through various datasets to identify meaningful, reliable, and timely trends. However, defining what constitutes a trend becomes a big task amidst this sea of data.?

Every agency, company and brand has its take, often viewing trends through the lens of audience engagement rather than pure observation. Merely identifying a trend isn't enough. The real magic happens when we transform these trends into actionable insights that shape our campaigns. Yet, here’s the challenge. Trends are like chameleons, constantly changing. Their reliability and usefulness are becoming increasingly hard to pin down.

Why the shift? Well, it's due to several factors. The rapid evolution of technology, the ever-changing landscape of culture, and the sheer volume of information at our fingertips all contribute to the unpredictability of trends.?

So, while we strive to stay ahead of the curve, we also recognize the need to adapt and innovate in this constantly shifting terrain.

The Rise

Every trend begins with a spark, a fresh idea, a catchy tune, or a bold fashion statement. Creativity, timing, and influence are the driving forces behind their emergence.

Social media serves as a catalyst, propelling trends to global recognition within moments. A single tweet or Instagram post can catapult a niche concept into mainstream consciousness as users across the globe share, remix, and personalize it to fit their own style and interests.

Moreover, our innate desire for connection and identity fuels our participation in trends. Whether consciously or not, we are drawn to trends that resonate with our values and sense of community. As a trend gains traction, it becomes more than just a passing craze, it becomes a symbol of belonging and camaraderie embraced by its followers.

Why do brands need trends?

• Relevance: Trends provide brands with an opportunity to remain relevant in the eyes of consumers. They offer a "reason to show up" and engage with their audience.
• Authenticity: Aligning with trends allows brands to demonstrate authenticity and connect with consumers on a deeper level.?
• Innovation: Some brands leverage trends in unconventional ways, blending audience behavior with brand participation to create unexpected collaborations,?

Why is this becoming increasingly challenging?

The landscape of trends is evolving rapidly, presenting new challenges for brands. One significant challenge is the saturation of trends across various platforms, making it harder for brands to stand out from the noise. Additionally, the unpredictability of consumer preferences and the rapid pace of technological advancements further complicate the trend-spotting process.?

As trends become more fleeting, it becomes increasingly challenging for brands to predict which will resonate with their audience and result in meaningful engagement. This shifting landscape requires brands to adopt agile and adaptive strategies to stay ahead of the curve and effectively leverage trends in their marketing efforts.

The Fall

Here’s something we discovered ourselves with our AI-powered trend tools:?

Trends Vs Fads: Social Value Exchanges Under Scrutiny

Social posts from creators and users alike are becoming more wary of the mechanical nature of trend adoption, replication and growth. From memes to TikTok dances, users ask whether a trend has intrinsic value, contributes to the online community or comments on society and life. The downside to this is the identification of certain trends as simply fun to do and having minimal value beyond the activity itself. The danger for brands here is investing time and money in transient trends rather than successfully identifying meaningful trends and focussing time and effort there

The value of a trend is coming into question. Ensuring your brand catches a trend on the rise is super-important but also risky.?

But just as trends shoot up, they can also fizzle out. The same things that made them viral, like being new, being everywhere, or fitting the vibe, can also bring them crashing down.

In today's hyper-connected world, trends flood our feeds faster than ever. What was cool yesterday can feel tired and overdone today as everyone jumps on the bandwagon. When we're bombarded with the same stuff over and over, the charm wears off, and we're onto the next shiny thing.

The Cycle Continues

Navigating the blurred lines between campaign-driven trends and genuine viral phenomena on social media is becoming increasingly challenging. The content quality produced by social media users often rivals, if not surpasses, that of brand-driven content. However, with their well-established content ecosystems, these trends can inspire our trend activation efforts or present excellent opportunities for brands to engage authentically with the full brand ecosystem.

Take, for instance, the case of #batangaweek. Here, drinks brands, mixers, bars, and social spaces all had a chance to jump into the conversation, but timing was crucial. With the trend lasting only a week, brands needed to identify, create, approve, and post content within five working days to remain relevant and authentic. This rapid turnover isn't easy, especially since some trends worth engaging will disappear even faster.

But fear not, as old trends fade away, new ones emerge, ready to take their place. It's an endless cycle of creation and reinvention, driven by our boundless moments of creativity.

Finding the right mix of old and new highlights the fascinating beauty of impermanence on a large scale. Trends serve as snapshots of our community and target audience interests, reflecting the ever-shifting landscape of needs and challenges over time. They remind us that change is inevitable and that the journey from irrelevant to cool is as significant as the destination.

Within the evolution of trends, AI acts as both a mirror and a catalyst, reflecting and shaping the values and aspirations of each generation while paving the way for tomorrow's trends. One thing remains certain as we navigate the balance between culture and technology: the synergy between humanity and AI will redefine the boundaries of creativity, innovation, and possibility.

So, as we witness trends come and go, let's embrace the essence of the moment. In this whirlwind of creation and change, the next big thing is always on the horizon. Amazing campaigns can spring from shared passion, authenticity, and a willingness to break the mold (under the right circumstances).

Join the Conversation

Want to know how we ensure our clients move at the speed of culture? We use our AI-enhanced Triage process to accelerate trend identification, develop and action hyper-relevant insights fast and build campaign concepts and digital executions that actually land within fleeting trend cycles.?

Through this process, we can meet the moment with quality creative outputs and make reactive marketing feel backed by weeks, not days of planning. Get in touch with our team to see how we can make it happen.?