Written by: Rob Allen, Strategy Partner
There’s been a lot of thought and research over recent years into trend spotting. Brands want to know what the newest consumer tribe, movement or fad they should be jumping on. There are books about tipping points, papers on product adoption curves, and magazines devoted to understanding how trends move from a tiny sparkle to mainstream acceptance. Every January you can’t move for predictions of trends for the year ahead. Nobody wants to miss out.
But there is less understanding of the other end of the process. When does a trend tip from ubiquity, to overdone, to just plain done? Is it possible to set out a ‘trend adoption curve’ that mirrors the profitability one? This is just as important – although arguably less glamorous – part of pro-active brand management. When is it time to cut your losses, adjust your portfolio, and move on to the next thing? And why is it so hard to see it coming?
For brands, indifference is a killer. In this article for WARC, Rob Allen, Strategy Partner, discusses how brands can differentiate themselves when it comes to trends. He also explores how to adjust as trends develop and how rules and trajectories can differ across categories.
Read the full article here to learn more.
