What is a trend?
More and more people are currently working from home. This is a trend. Anything that is not a fad (a short-lived fashion), but here to stay a while and people adopt it locally or across the world, is a trend. It can be as simple as wearing those ugly comfortable flip-flops, to renting a deskspace at some fancy co-working space building.
In business, a trend might translate into a certain market direction. Same with social media, a platform or a service might trend for a period of time, gain extreme popularity with users, and create new views and potential. Let’s have a look at some older trends that came and went and how they affected us throughout the years.
Old trends that died down
The Mannequin Challenge: Thousands of videos with people standing still. There were schools of thousands who put videos together and reached a few million views. Who has time for it anymore? Luckily no one.
The ‘Keep calm and…’(make this trend disappear). It was everywhere, on mugs, walls, clothes, and social media posts. We can finally keep calm and know it’s gone forever.
Tech trends that are making a comeback
We are well into Gen Z, a generation that loves all ‘vintage’ tech gadgets that they are bringing back to fashion all the way from their parent’s dusty boxes. Their refusal to conform, translating into owning an iPhone, is also fitting when it comes to the use of older technology. Flip phones, wired headphones, and camcorders are the bee’s knees and young people are hunting for them like thirsty vampires. At the same time, they meet inside VR worlds or enjoy movies with UE5 like the new Matrix. These are, after all, interesting times!
Who creates trends?
It’s simple: trends are spread by people. Whether for business or pleasure, from individuals or lucrative marketing teams, the start line is the same. Joining a trend means you belong, you are part of something. Exactly what human nature craves.
Trends in your favour
Are all trends bad? Of course not. There are many instances when trends are useful. Watching trends in one’s profession is great if one wishes to upskill and stay ‘marketable’. At a personal level, staying up to date with trends is important in order to communicate with younger colleagues, or your children!
Understanding trends in various niches might give you an insight into what’s valuable the next day when a trend dies out or creates a new opportunity.
July is dedicated to trends, past, and present. Stay tuned for weekly posts on trends from different decades, and current trends in the tech world and professional development.
Natassa Peioglou
Content Creator @OTEAcademy