The saying has always been “trends come and go”, but with social media’s rapid creation and consumption cycles, trends have taken on an entirely new context and lifecycle. Trends aren’t just viral moments. They can serve as strategic moments that make brands part of a wider cultural touchpoint they may otherwise not have a say in. Understanding the lifecycle of trends, and the types most relevant to a target audience, can help marketers decide when to engage, how to align authentically, and when to exit gracefully before overstaying their welcome.
Trends are more than a flash in the pan—they’re themes or movements that resonate with collective interests, shaping behaviors, and influencing purchase decisions. From a catchy TikTok sound that sticks in your head for a week to the timeless appeal of learning a life-changing hack, trends are the currents that drive consumer engagement. They give people a chance to feel connected to culture, like a part of something bigger, even if it’s only for a short time before the next movement catches on.
For brands, trends matter because they can impact visibility, drive engagement, and even influence in-store purchases. When a product or idea gains traction, consumers often seek the tangible experience of engaging with it in person. Physical retail locations benefit from the FOMO (fear of missing out) effect when consumers want to get their hands on a viral or limited edition item as soon as possible rather than risk the item selling out online or being delayed by shipment times. A well-timed campaign aligned with a trend can translate directly into higher sales and deeper audience connections.
Trends often follow a consistent lifecycle. Recognizing each phase can help brands understand when to get involved and how to avoid seeming irrelevant.
Trends typically originate in niche communities, driven by creators, early adopters, or cultural events sparking interest. During this phase, awareness is limited outside the originating community. The “dupe” trend, for instance, started quietly in the 2010s when beauty YouTubers were looking for and sharing affordable alternatives to luxury products. This is also where fleeting TikTok sounds get their legs. Someone latches onto a clip from an interview, cultural event, or funny, off-the-cuff moment and the sound starts to gain traction as people who follow the original creator resonate with it.
Momentum builds as more creators and early adopters amplify the trend so mainstream audiences and brands start to catch on. Social media algorithms accelerate this phase, putting the trending content on feeds beyond the originating community. In this stage, dupes grew beyond beauty into categories like fashion (e.g. a Bottega-style bag at an Amazon price point) and home goods (e.g. Target lookalike furniture at a lower cost). Sounds also hit this phase when they become widely recognized across TikTok, with users remixing or reinterpreting the content. In Summer 2022, an interview clip of a young boy at a fair declaring his love for corn caught the eyes and ears of musicians The Gregory Brothers who remixed the clip into a song (“It’s Corn”) that quickly spread like wildfire.
The highest point of a trend is the peak when it fully hits the mainstream, saturating platforms and communities in its wave. Media outlets flash headlines with the trend title, participation reaches its zenith, and brands often step in with larger campaigns to capitalize on the buzz. “It’s Corn” became so popular that even major brands, like Chipotle, used it in campaigns for their corn-based products. Meanwhile, the dupe trend was exemplified at this stage with brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics fully embracing their lower-price products as ‘dupes’ for higher-end brands in their campaigns—such as their Halo Glow Liquid Filter as a more approachable alternative to the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter.
Many trends eventually hit an oversaturation point and lose their novelty as audiences move on to the next big thing. Brands or late adopters that join the trend at this stage risk being seen as out of touch, or worse, annoying. After weeks of heavy use, “It’s Corn”, the unofficial hit of the summer, lost its viral appeal, with fewer new content pieces being created and people swiping past on their feeds in search of fresh videos. The dupe trend has seen a longer lifecycle, so while still relevant, the term started seeing diminishing engagement in beauty and home goods as newer terms and approaches emerged.
Eventually, the trend either fades into obscurity or takes on a new life by blending with other trends or adapting to cultural shifts. Micro-trends and viral moments evaporate from the public consciousness, but some, like “It’s Corn”, may become nostalgic references used sparingly in the future. More substantial trends can become an embedded part of popular culture, evolving into evergreen concepts spanning multiple categories. The dupe trend started in the beauty corner of the Internet and now encompasses tech, fashion, and more. No matter the title, the concept of finding an affordable version of a beloved, albeit pricy, product will likely always be in style.
Not all trends are created equal, and understanding the differences between types of trends can guide brands' strategic decision-making about when to cash in and when to let others do the talking (or remixing).
Evergreen trends have the unique power to endure. They tap into universal human interests and evolve over time with cultural and technological shifts to remain relevant, making them ideal for longer-term marketing investments. Think foundational rather than fleeting. We’ve already discussed the dupe trend as a niche interest turned evergreen concept. Similarly, ‘life hacks’ (e.g. using masking tape to mark where a painting will go on your wall) are standing the test of time because humans have an innate curiosity for simplification and efficiency. There will always be a space for broad, universally applicable solutions that make people’s lives easier—something that brands of all categories can leverage.
This type of trend is tied to a particular cultural moment, season, or event. For instance, Barbiecore exploded in the summer of 2023 with the release of Barbie. Bright pink outfits, glittery accessories, and Barbie memes dominated social media, in-store activations, and product releases. Barbiecore faded away a few months later as the movie’s hype died down.
This summer had an equally magnetic trend that almost goes without saying: Brat Summer. The effect of Charli XCX’s album release (and her matching persona) swathed the world in lime green and its rebellious, carefree aesthetic made its way into politics, sports, and virtually every aspect of mainstream culture. Time-specific trends eventually lose relevance once the moment passes but have the power to spark nostalgia when revisited in later years. Brat Summer will always define 2024 and will be a blast to look back on in the future.
Brands need agility to leverage these fleeting opportunities effectively, ensuring campaigns align tightly with the moment. Be a part of the fun, but never late to the party.
Micro-trends live for weeks to months, gaining popularity within subcultures before fading out. These trends don’t achieve widespread attention and typically start and stick to one platform, like TikTok or Instagram. Trends like ‘Coastal cowgirl’ (a blend of beachy and western fashion that peaked in summer 2023 on TikTok), ‘mob wife’, and ‘strawberry makeup’ see their moment in the sun before being replaced by the next aesthetic. Brands engaging with micro-trends can create strong connections with niche audiences but should involve invest minimally because of their brief blip in relevance.
Cyclical trends surge in popularity over time, fading into the background and then come rushing back because of nostalgia or shifts in cultural sentiment. The Internet has made every era of history accessible to younger audiences, making these cyclical trends relatively easy to predict. See: Y2K fashion. Low-rise jeans, butterfly clips, and baguette bags that were stuffed in the back of Gen Xers’ and Millennials’ closets for years are now newly addored additions to Gen Z outfits and aesthetics. Cyclical trends go beyond fashion as well, as evidenced by the resurgence of roller skating during COVID quarantine. These trends allow brands to tap into the emotional resonance of nostalgia while catering to new generations rediscovering old ideas.
Viral moments may reach a wider audience than micro-trends, but tend to be even shorter-lived. Sparked by a single piece of content or one-off event, these trends explode in popularity, spanning platforms and generations, but burn out equally quickly due to their specific, situational nature. Dabloons Economy, anyone? The TikTok trend saw people role-playing collecting dabloons (fake currency) in an imaginary world at the end of 2022, burning out its relevance almost as fast as it caught on. These trends are great for brands to boost visibility with a quick meme or influencer activation, but should never form the backbone of any long-term strategy.
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Authenticity and timing can make or break a brand’s participation in a trend. Brands should focus on aligning their strategies with the lifecycle phase of the trend, as well as scaling their investment based on the type of trend.
Emergence: Monitor niche communities and creators to spot early signals of trends relevant to your brand. Partnering with Acorn gives brands an edge, as we’re constantly monitoring trends and identifying them early, positioning you as a front-runner rather than a follower.
Adoption: With New Engen’s Creator Studio, we can rapidly source timely content from creators, ensuring your campaigns are ready to ride the wave when a trend begins to build momentum.
Peak: Capitalize on peaking trends with larger-scale campaigns but avoid over-saturation. Starting a campaign late could dilute its impact and make the brand appear out of touch.
Decline: Maintain momentum by shifting your resources to newer opportunities, ensuring your brand stays relevant and forward-looking.
Evolution: Keep your eyes on potential trends that can transition into evergreen behaviors—movements that offer tangible value to people over the long term. These trends provide an opportunity to create influencer campaigns that leverage their timeless appeal, driving sustained engagement and building lasting connections with audiences.
Participating in trends is a balancing act. Wait too long, and your brand looks like it’s playing catch-up. Overcommit to a fleeting fad, and you could end up wasting time and resources on something your audience no longer cares about. The biggest risk? Looking inauthentic. Audiences can spot when a brand is forcing itself into a trend that doesn’t align with its identity.
The key? Stay true to your brand’s values and voice. Partner with creators who naturally resonate with both the trend and your audience.
It’s not just about being in the conversation—it’s about contributing something meaningful to it.
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At the end of the day, trends aren’t just about being trendy—they’re about connection and being a part of something bigger. The brands that win are the ones that know how to read the room, align with trends authentically, and pivot when the moment demands. Keep it agile, stay sharp, and don’t be afraid to sit a trend out if it doesn’t fit. Your audience will appreciate the honesty.
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