5 ways to look before you leap onto trends
Before deciding whether your brand should jump on the latest cultural trend, it's important to ask yourself a few questions to ensure the decision aligns with your brand's identity, goals and customers. Here are five things to ask yourself, your team and your agency from a PR and marketing perspective.
1. Does the trend align with our brand values?
Assess whether the trend fits with your company's purpose and values. Will engaging with this trend reinforce what your brand stands for? Or could it potentially conflict with your brand identity and undermine your values? It takes a lot of work to build identity and values. One slip could unravel all that work.
2. What outcome do we want from engaging with this trend?
Define what you want to achieve by jumping on the trend. Is it increased visibility, engagement, sales, or something else? Understanding the outcomes you want will determine whether the trend is a suitable vehicle to achieve these objectives. If you’re not sure that it will bring a positive business result, then is it really worth it?
3. How does our intended audience perceive this trend?
Consider how your core customers and any other intended audience are already reacting to or engaging with the trend. Is it something they care about or are interested in? Misjudging your audience's interest can lead to wasted efforts, or worse, a negative reaction. Do some social media listening to gauge their interest in the topic.
4. What are the potential risks and rewards of jumping on this trend?
Weigh the potential benefits against the risks of pursuing the trend. Could this trend alienate a portion of your customer base? Will it touch a current cultural nerve? Are there any controversies or unintended consequences associated with it? On the flip side, what positive impacts could the trend have on your brand's reputation and customer engagement?
5. Are we prepared to execute on the trend effectively?
Evaluate your brand’s capability and capacity to effectively engage with the trend through PR and marketing. Do you have the resources, knowledge, and creativity to make a meaningful and authentic contribution to the trend? Half-hearted or poorly executed efforts can come off tokenistic and can be more harmful to your brand.
Rushing to jump on a trend can be a waste of time, money and effort if you’re not honest with yourself about why you’re doing it. By asking yourself these questions you can make a more informed decision about whether engaging with a particular trend is the right move for your brand.
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