The Trend Cycle Is Faster Than Your Brand Approval Process
By the time brands decide whether a trend should be engaged, the internet has likely moved on to 3 other trends. Social media has accelerated the culture consumption and…
By the time brands decide whether a trend should be engaged, the internet has likely moved on to 3 other trends.
Social media has accelerated the culture consumption and production cycle, with memes coming then going in the span of days.
Sprout Social's 2025 research found that 93% of consumers expect the brands they engage with to keep up with online culture, however 33% of consumers find brands engaging with viral topics embarrassing and 27% of consumers think a trend's lifespan is only 24-48 hours.
For brands, this creates a very tough decision. If they are too late, they seem out of touch. If they are too quick, the content can feel forced.
Not Every Trend Needs Your Brand
The solution to this dilemma is not necessarily an accelerated approval process, but the ability to determine what trends are worth engagement with.
A trend that sees a finance company communicate like a meme page will have an entirely different impact to one that sees a premium skincare brand replicate the sounds of a viral social post. If the link between the trend and your brand isn't immediately apparent to your audience, they might dislike it.
TikTok's 2025 research highlights the growing consumer need for more authentic brand engagement, finding 65% of TikTok users prefer a brand working with a diverse creator base.
The focus isn't on quicker production, but quicker audience understanding.
Speed Gets Attention. Credibility Keeps It.
A trend may get attention. Audiences consuming a brand trend may follow the link in a bio, or go directly to your website if they want more information about the product/service being promoted.
This is where credibility comes in.
A trend can help you reach new audiences, but credibility will keep those audiences coming back.
In the modern marketplace, it's increasingly common for customers to research a brand before making a purchase decision. This could include visiting a brand's website, reading reviews or asking friends for an opinion.
That's where Visionary Brand comes in, fitting into the modern customer journey as an independent evaluator of authenticity, transparency, professionalism, reliability and overall business credibility. Businesses can receive recognition across websites, packaging, marketing collateral and customer communication.
The trend can get someone to look, but a credible brand makes them want to stay.
Don't Chase Every 48-Hour Moment
Your brand doesn't have to be first.
It needs to understand what trends make sense.
Before a brand jumps on the next big thing, they need to ask themselves why their brand needs to be there.
If there is a valid reason, they need to move quickly.
If not, the internet will move on.
The most successful brands understand that they don't need to be there for every trend, but know which trends are worth joining and hold onto the credibility that gets them the attention.
Jenil parmar
Marketing consultant
Visionary Brand
Contact - 8169773708
Innov8 Co-working, R City Mall, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
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