Taming Trends |
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Submitted by Chris Middleton of Futures Coaching Trends Overload Trends are coming at us thick and fast these days. The TV programming schedules seem to be full of them (buying and retiring abroad, '70's man, knife crime and so on). Meanwhile, Trend scouts such as Trendwatching.com fill their websites with lots of tempting morsels. And journalists, too, fancy their crystal-ball gazing talents. Each edition of a typical broadsheet newspaper carries in excess of 10 'trend' predictions. With this glut of Trends, it's no wonder I've heard business people moan: "I'm drowning in Trends". It's a bit like herding cats Trends can seem like cats. You think you've captured a few but some get away just as easily. Just when you think you've understood 'Thrill Pleasure' you are told there is a new 'Assault on Pleasure'. Meanwhile, 'Crude Hedonism' has apparently morphed into 'Healthy Hedonism'. The 'Body Perfection' Trend is growing but so too is 'Obesity'. Very slippery these social Trends. Meanwhile, just as cats can look very similar one to the other, so too Trends. Are 'Affluent Activists' from agency x the same as so and so's 'Social Entrepreneurs'? And isn't 'Ethical Consumption' and 'Conscience Consumption' really the same thing - albeit baptised differently by two competing Trend scouts? So what? Time and again, I've seen people emerge from Trend seminars, swooning at the story-telling capacity of their favourite agency. Energised they undoubtedly are, but like a hard drug, the hit is soon over and the withdrawal sets in. Once back at the office, the dread begins: "what do I do next?" It all sounded so good at the time but what do I tell my boss tomorrow and just how do I integrate Trends into my decision-making? A familiar story? If this sounds all to familiar to you, join the crowd. Many marketing people find themselves in this situation. And here's the salt in the wound. People with responsibility for the future of brands and businesses typically have had very little training to deal with every Trend life throws at them. You can't get a degree in Trend Studies and 'British Association of Trends' does not exist. You are on your own. Or, at least, you were...... That was then, this is now I set up Futures Coaching having had almost 25 years' experience in consumer marketing. Its aim is to help marketers re-energise brands and businesses with the fuel of consumer trends. Our coaches are expert in Trends and scenarios and guide our clients through the futuring minefield. Building a Trends System The key to handling the mass of Trends coming your way is to have a structured framework to help you organise and sort them. Once you start collecting Trends within a System, you will suddenly find you have relaxed control over them. You can find them. You can link them. You can prioritise them. You can share them. In short, Trends become the slave and you the master - not the other way round. Having a Trend System gives you confidence that your raw materials are in-house and in order. There are 5 stages to structuring a Trends System: 1. Distinguishing between types of Trends 1. Distinguishing between types of Trends Not all Trends are the same and it is vital to distinguish between: 'Fashions and Fads', (eg. Sudoku) 'Social Trends' (eg. .'Over-eating' ) and 'Long Wave' Trends (eg. Global climate change). You may need to be aware of all three, but when and where you use each is of vital importance if your Trend watching is to add value to your brand. 2. Understanding the core logic In setting up a Trend System it is important to collect information in a logical way and this involves having a coordinating principle. I have a colleague who collects Trends according to the logic of over-arching future scenarios. Other systems filter by pre-defined Social Trends. 3. Collecting the right information To share Trends with your colleagues, you'll need to collect 7 key pieces of information for each Trend: ? definition With this information to hand, you are able to communicate what the Trend is, where it has come from and provide supporting evidence about its presence and force in today's society. You will have the right information to convince both left and right brainers. Finally, you will have made an important step towards constructing a common language and understanding within the business. 4. Loading the system Jean Luc Godard said that it is not about where you take things from but where you take things to. So, borrow and 'steal' Trends from anywhere and everywhere. Take your existing consumer research and 'future mine' it. Speak to experts. Surf the net. Turn to the trendspotters. Read widely. Keep your eyes open as you walk down the street. I started by saying Trends are all around us and indeed they are. 5. Using it! I believe that by following the above advice you will already be well on your way to using Trends in more ways and more often than you do today. However, companies often limit themselves in the value they squeeze from Trends. Trends have to be more than the warm-up act to the Senior Managers' Away-Day! If Kodak had observed Trends - or GM - their businesses would be in entirely different places today! So think about using Trends in the following areas: ? to increase understanding about disruptive change Now more than ever, Trends should be helping your 'Recession Marketing' activities and Rejuvenating your brand or business. Conclusions Most of us are time poor and stressed out. So any insights that allows us to be more relaxed and get more achieved should be welcome. The Taming Trends strategies outlined above are a move in this direction. Efficient collection and structuring of Trends will free you from the tyranny of confusion and liberate you to use Trends productively. Adding value through Trends is about sexy things like radical innovation, strategy evaluation and company rejuvenation - but it all starts with the solid foundation of an organised Trend System. If you want to take this to the next step and would like tailored guidance, contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Plus, for more of my opinions on Trends, Recession Marketing and Rejuvenation visit my blog at: recessionmarketing.blogspot.com
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 17 November 2008 21:33 ) |