You don't have to be cutting edge

HOW NOT TO JUMP ON THE NEXT BIG TREND

If you've been trying to keep up with the trends, current events, and crises of the past few years, you're probably not only exhausted, but likely suffering from a case of whiplash as you attempt to keep up with the swings. The business world is notorious at over-correcting, and digital may even be more guilty.

At the height of the pandemic, the prevailing thinking was that all business and brand interactions had shifted online for good. The result was skyrocketing companies built for social distancing, like Zoom, Peleton, and Netflix. Every marketer was pushed to add live streaming, create "immersive digital experiences," and build online communities that would replace what was lost offline.

Then, just as suddenly, restrictions began lifting and people rushed back to nostalgia-driven events and experiences. Hotels, casinos, and amusement parks have shot up while their digital counterparts have sunk back down. Now, marketers are being told that we need to reconnect with the real world, to create "immersive offline experiences" and give customers tangible ways to interact with the brand again.

Everyone was convinced that work from home was going to be the new normal, so we all invested in webcams and organized our backdrops. Now, employers are rushing to recreate workplaces that people actually want to spend time in. Other overcorrections we've seen recently include crypto/NFTs, the metaverse, and QR codes.

In every one of the instances above, there was a real shift in technology or behaviour, a few brands did something innovative, then thousands of articles were written and whole industries became obsessed with leaning into it before realizing that they had gone too hard too early.

The other thing they all have in common is that they're real and here to stay. The businesses that win at trends and innovation are the ones that remain crystal clear on their mission, and incorporate the shift where it makes sense for them.

The important question to ask yourself as you're inevitably faced with more trends and events is: How can we use this to do what we do better, faster, or for more/different people?

Written by Conner Galway, Junction Consulting