Trendspotting Futures

Co-authored by Point's strategy director, Carla Gontier, and Nkaroleng Matjie, Mid-Weight Strategist, this month's edition of "Fads & Futures" highlights some of the current trends that have the potential to impact brand-building and the brand-consumer relationship. The report also emphasises the importance of brands staying agile in negotiating these shifting tides.

In the same vein, for brands it's crucial to identify the markers that will determine which trends are likely to become future realities (Futures) and which are bound to dissolve as temporary interests (Fads).

Let's take a closer look at three of the report's trends and how brands should react to them.

TREND: Brat Summer vs Autumn Demure

These contrasting lifestyle trends emphasise the complexity of the age's social climate and reflect how people adapt to pressures that may create tension and distress. They also echo broader cultural themes of resistance and introspection, which is a common thread throughout history.

While Brat Summer promotes bold self-expression, apparent chaos, and a defiance of traditional norms and conventional decorum, Autumn Demure embodies a refuge for individuals seeking order and comfort in an era overrun by noise, disorder, and a spirited disregard for rules and norms.
For instance, both YouTube and TikTok reflect Brat Summer and Autumn Demure narratives. TikTok stands out for its lively and spontaneous content, which often takes the spotlight away from the more contemplative nature of Autumn Demure. On the other hand, YouTube, with its longer-form potential, tends to align more with Autumn Demure due to its capacity to achieve greater depth in exploration and expression.

Fad or Future?

Because these trends represent two distinct voices and deeper shifts in consumer behaviour, brands should strike a healthy balance by creating strategies that take into account the energetic devil-may-care vibe of Brat Summer alongside the thoughtful essence of Autumn Demure.

This process is also a test for brands to show their agility, innovativeness, and how well they understand their audiences' diverse needs and expressions.

While brands should not approach Brat Summer and Autumn Demure as mere seasonal mood fluctuations, they should continuously assess the long-term impact and relevance of the energies of both movements.

At this stage it's hard to determine which will last indefinitely, which might fade eventually, or if in time another trend or trends will eclipse these voices. Those brands that stay attuned to their audiences' evolving values and cultural shifts will be best positioned to adapt when there does come such a shift.

TREND: Trendkill

Not all trends have enduring appeal and influence potential scripted into their lifecycles, causing a rapid decline in their popularity, and eventual death - commonly referred to as 'trendkill'.

In other words, some trends may quickly peak in popularity, followed by a period of stability (which is not always the case), before fading as consumer interest starts to wane - while in the meantime newer trends, often in the same trendline, may start taking centre stage.

Trendkill can happen for several reasons. When a trend becomes overly common, it can quickly lose its charm for some consumers. The same can happen when consumers start questioning the authenticity of a trend. We've seen this with brands embracing woke messaging - even basing whole campaigns around the narrative - which often feels more like a strategic play (or ploy) than a true brand commitment.

We've also seen this when brands apply minimalist designs in their marketing - on the surface, this may appear as effectively simplistic but ultimately can come across as lacking depth and a short-hand attempt at solidifying brand identity (when not executed thoughtfully).

Other causes behind trendkill include backlash when a trend conflicts with values and norms, shifts in consumer tastes and preferences, and the emergence of new trends with more profound implications.

How should brands react?

Trend-savvy brands know that jumping on every passing trend risks diluting brand identity and authenticity. Grappling with all the latest trends and constantly shifting focus from one to the other, may further come across as opportunistic and even desperate. It may also confuse consumers and leave them uncertain about a brand's identity and what it stands for.

Fundamentally, brands should prioritise trends that align with their core values and long-term vision, which will further help them navigate the balance between fads and futures.

Brands should therefore foreground those trends that have the potential for enduring relevance and that are more likely to resonate with their audiences, while at the same time not being too dismissive of those that seem to have fad potential. For certain audiences such trends may become future realities.

TREND: Brandom

Brands strutting their emotional intelligence (EQ) are increasingly embracing the brand-build potential of 'Brandom' (also 'brand fandom') - which represents a transformative shift in consumer-brand interaction by spotlighting community engagement and co-creation as primary, integrated strategies.

Brandom fosters a sense of belonging by allowing consumers to become active participants in a brand's story. It reflects a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour and the need for creating more intimate and authentic connections through meaningful participation with the brands they support.

Fad or Future?

Brandom is a relatively new way of thinking about brand relationships that's here to stay.

It aligns with the expectations of today's consumer who values emotional connection, community involvement, and authenticity in their brand-connect moments.

Those brands that incorporate Brandom ideas into their main strategies will likely experience greater consumer loyalty and also be better equipped to handle market changes.

Brandom is further increasingly supported by social media platforms - as collaborative environments these platforms empower consumers to contribute towards brand story and relevant brand narratives.

Essentially, Brandom represents a major shift in how consumers want to experience brands and how they prefer connecting with them in a vast and ever-evolving marketplace. Brand humanisation, therefore, becomes a key element for brands embracing Brandom strategies.

Trendspotting Futures

While it's crucial for brands to understand the shifting dynamics of trends - including those that may fizzle out or gain lasting relevance - the most successful brands know that becoming too dependent on trends can stifle long-term agility.

This doesn't mean that brands should aspire to become trend-proof; rather, they should consistently maintain their flexibility to adapt while ensuring their primary focus remains on building brand identity, credibility, and brand-connect authority.

To find out more about the other insights shaping branding's landscape, download the full "Fads & Futures" report.

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This release was published on openPR.