A lesson in trends

What are trends?

Trends are changes and developments in society that arise from certain big events. Trends are not a prediction of the future, rather an extension of the developments that are happening right now. It's really just thinking about what are the logical consequences and effects.

Trend levels

You can divide trends in three categories: Microtrends, Maxitrends and Megatrends. Megatrends are noticable for everyone in society, Maxitrends are at a consumer level and Micro is at market level. 

Every single micro trend can be fed back to a maxitrend, consumer trend, and this one can, in its turn, be fed back to mega trends. Almost every product or service you see and use are therefore eventually based on megatrends. Whether the creators did it on purpose or not. Mega trends are trends that can last from 10 to 30 years. Megatrends are also known as societal trends. These trends are focused on social interests.

Trend factors

You can imagine that there are certain factors where trends emerge from or that can influence them. These are called trend factors. There are 6 trend factors. Factors that have a big influence on trends and therefore our lives? They are generic terms and you must have heard of them in your geography class in high school. Demography, politics, technology. Sociology/culture, economy, ecology.

Example trend pyramid

Here a filled in example of the pyramid with the mega trend: social awareness on environmental issues. 

Mega trend: Social awareness on environmental issues

Maxi trend: Behaviour and Needs: Sustainability

Micro trend: Brands that anticipate