My wife and daughter have replaced a large portion of my wardrobe. Sorry, but I don’t watch fashion trends and can wear the same pair of pants for 5-10 years. I now wear Vans shoes. I think I’m cool now.
I felt the author of 6 Important Marketing Trends to Watch in 2012 kind of missed the boar on trends. What he called 2012 business trends seemed to be trends that were started by industry leaders well before. For example:
1. Abstract is the new concrete: The author projects that it will be increasingly hard to name products, and their names will become more abstract. I disagree. 25 years ago, I-pad would have meant nothing to you. The name is only relevant if it identifies with the product. Eventually it will become the venacular.
2. Boomers–they’re baaack! The author makes the “shocking” revelation that the 47-65 year-old demographic are a major buying source. Yes, we have been back for 20 years.
3. Trending is trending He used the old Wayne Gretcky quote of skating to where the puck is going to be. I used this quote in a November 2010 blog. The problem, is you have to know where the puck is going to be. What I recommend for business owners and artists, is you have to guide the puck to where it is going to be and promote that to others. If you wait for trends to develop, you will always be behind them. CREATE the TRENDS DON’T FOLLOW THEM.
4. The photo’s the thing. The image revelation emerged with television in 1960 when John F. Kennedy debated Vice President Richard Nixon. Only the platform has changed.
5. Tablets, tablets everywhere. I assume by “tablets” he means I-Pads and similar products. Bill Gates predicted this in his book, Business at the Speed of Thought. In his book, he actually predicted an Iphone or Ipad type of device. It is amazing that Steve Jobs took the prize.
6. Creativity takes center stage. This trend has been around since the advent of the personal computer. Once you released tools to the creative, you provided the pilot light for creativity. What we are seeing now is the breakneck speed that creative people are using these tools, not the advent of creativity itself.
My point is that even business bloggers are falling behind the trends. If you are a business owner or an artist, you cannot follow trends. You must create your own trend and have others follow you. That is the secret of the Blue Ocean Strategy.
As someone who studies trends, I concur with your assessment, Rick. What most people and even most businesses identify as trends are really events or thinking that has been around for 5, 10, or more years.
The reason they’re still identifying them as trends is that they haven’t fully embraced the trend yet, so they’re dealing with something that continues to have an element of new or uncertainty to it…..for them.
The good news is that trends (or what people think are trends) last many many years so you have many opportunities since your competitors are usually just as slow to recognize what’s changing and how to make it work for them.
The reality is that once they’ve been accepted and part of business or society, they’ve turned into facts – but they’re still called trends.
Nice comment, Seena. I’ve not thought of the term “trends,” in context with strategy before. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for writing.
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