How to spot trends

TREND TIPS & TOOLS #1
HOW TO SPOT TRENDS
A trend training manual (with actual examples inside!)
TREND TIPS & TOOLS
#1

There are three
fundamental elements
that drive all trends

1. BASIC NEEDS
These are the forces that
have been shaping human
behavior for years (if not
forever!). Think status,
fairness, community and
more.
FAIRNESS
SOCIAL
INTERACTION
SOCIAL
STATUS
HONESTY
CREATIVITY
IDENTITY
EXCITEMENT
SECURITY
TRANSPARENCY
SELF-
IMPROVEMENT
CONNECTION
FREEDOM
RELEVANCE
ENTERTAINMENT
LOVE
SIMPLICITY
RECOGNITION

2. DRIVERS OF
CHANGE
On the other hand, there are
no trends without change.
To analyze change, think in
terms of Shifts (long-term,
slower) and Triggers
(speciﬁc factors or events).

3. INNOVATIONS
Innovations aren’t trends.
But without examples of
customer-facing
innovations, a trend can’t be
said to exist fully yet.
INNOVATIONS

What’s really
interesting is how
the three
elements react
with each other.

TRENDS EMERGE AS INNOVATORS
ADDRESS PEOPLE’S BASIC HUMAN
NEEDS AND WANTS IN NOVEL WAYS.

AND THIS IS HOW
WE SPOT TRENDS.
We look for customer-facing
innovations that are
(re)deﬁning what people will
want and even start to
expect.

Modular
smartphones,
sustainable
sports cars,
transparent
pricing…

NICHE NOW…
These might not all become
‘business as usual’ soon.
But they can show us which
direction customers’
expectations are headed.

…BUT RICH IN
OPPORTUNITY
Are there opportunities for
you to launch innovations
that cater to the same
underlying customer need or
desire?

TARGET YOUR INNOVATIONS AT THE SWEET
SPOT OF CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS!
MORE OF
THE SAME
EXPECTATION
GAPS
NOVELTIES
BASIC NEEDS
INNOVATIONS
DRIVERS
OF CHANGE
THE
SWEET
SPOT

LET’S SEE IN ACTION!
How did we use the three elements described above to
spot two of our most popular trends?
THE TIPS & TOOLS SERIES

Released in October 2013, the Nest Protect is an intelligent smoke alarm and
carbon monoxide detector. A spoken warning (rather than a noisy alarm)
allows users to check whether the cause of smoke is serious. If it isn’t, they can
simply wave at the device to stop the alarm activating.

October 2013 saw American football helmet manufacturer Riddell unveil
their Insite Impact Response System. The helmets contain sensors which send
an alert to the sidelines when they detect a significant impact, so medical
professionals can then assess players for signs of concussion

Ford also released a concept smart car seat in late 2013. ECG heart rate
sensors can detect mid-journey heart attacks and engage assistance systems,
while diabetic drivers can connect to an onboard glucose level monitoring
system that alerts them to critical blood sugar level changes

ANALYZING THESE INNOVATIONS IN TERMS
OF THE THE THREE ELEMENTS LED US TO
THE INTERNET OF CARING THINGS TREND
MORE OF
THE SAME
EXPECTATION
GAPS
NOVELTIES
BASIC NEEDS
INNOVATIONS
DRIVERS
OF CHANGE
THE
SWEET
SPOT
New
Connected
Objects
Safety
From three
different
industries

INTERNET OF CARING THINGS
A network of connected objects brought to life by a clear
mission: to actively care for consumers – their physical
and mental wellbeing, homes, loved ones, and more.

In 2012, McDonald’s Canada released a YouTube video explaining why items
bought in-store never look as juicy and appetizing as those in the photos. The
chain’s video shows how food photographers treat and manipulate products
on photoshoots to show them in their best light.

The Four Seasons luxury hotel chain’s website features customer reviews
from TripAdvisor and comments from Facebook and Twitter. Comments are
placed prominently on hotel pages, and users can click directly through to the
external content, often a rarity for luxury brand websites.

When Johnson & Johnson discontinued its o.b Ultra tampon brand, outraged
customers launched a petition calling for the brand to reconsider. In
December 2011, J&J revived the brand and produced a microsite where
viewers could fill in their names and receive a personalized power ballad
apology video and a coupon for the tampons.

ANALYZING THESE INNOVATIONS IN TERMS
OF THE THE THREE ELEMENTS LED US TO
THE FLAWSOME TREND
MORE OF
THE SAME
EXPECTATION
GAPS
NOVELTIES
BASIC NEEDS
INNOVATIONS
DRIVERS
OF CHANGE
THE
SWEET
SPOT
Online
transparency;
perception of
business
Honest,
reliable
information
Varied
approaches:
Customer-led vs.
Business-led; fun
vs. serious.

TREND TIPS & TOOLS #1THE TIPS & TOOLS SERIES
FLAWSOME
Consumers will embrace brands that are human,
open and honest about their possible flaws.

SO, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR NEXT SWEET
SPOT OF INNOVATION IS?
MORE OF
THE SAME
EXPECTATION
GAPS
NOVELTIES
BASIC NEEDS
INNOVATIONS
DRIVERS
OF CHANGE
THE
SWEET
SPOT

TREND TIPS & TOOLS
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