The curiously-popular adjective took the internet by storm after a series of TikToks by creator Jools LeBron went viral. Soon, people who had no idea what “demure” meant before the viral phenomenon used it in every sentence like a grade school vocabulary word. However, just as quickly as “very demure” entered the zeitgeist — it was gone.
One can never tell what trends will last and which ones will go the way of VSCO girls or sourdough starters. For marketers and brand strategists, capitalizing on trends and making them last past seasonal fads is all part of the job.
John Higgins knows how fast trends can come and go. As the CEO of OS Studios, Higgins has to stay constantly aware of what is trending — and what is old news. As one of the foremost experiential marketing agencies for the gaming industry, OS Studios makes it a point to have its fingers on the pulse of what is “right now” in gaming.
“We consider gaming culture the next iteration of what was once the YouTube sensation or, before that, the Facebook Sensation,” Higgins explains.
As part of determining what is trending and making trends last past one news cycle, Higgins and his team have become experts in fan engagement, leveraging gaming culture, and influencer partnerships — all in an attempt to make trends last.
The Nature of Trends
As long as there are people, there are trends — popular sayings, music, pastimes, and fashions — that take hold of the social scene for a moment… or a generation. In today’s digitally informed world, the trend cycle has been shortened significantly. TikToks or a popular artist give birth to a trend; it burns hot for a moment, and then it fizzles out.
However, some trends, like gaming, evolve instead of burning out. With companies such as OS Studios leading the way, evolving trends can gather more support and engagement, growing in influence decade by decade. “Billions of dollars are being spent in an attempt to reach Gen Z or Young Millennials,” explains Higgins. “Because we’re superfans and creating for the next generation of fans, we’re ahead of the curve on emerging changes.”
In marketing, trends are broken up into three different categories: moments, signals, and forces.
Moments — like “demure” — come and go. They are short-lived, viral flashes that take hold of the culture for just a “moment” and then fade away.
Signals last a little longer than moments, persisting for a year or more. Trends such as “cottagecore” fashion or the ska revival of the late 1990s would be good examples of signal trends.
Forces are trends that stand the test of time — such as gaming. These trends come and stay for the long haul, evolving with changing times, much like we have seen with gaming moving from 8-bit computer games played in our rec rooms to the massive gaming community that has been built around hyper-realistic games and servers dedicated to games such as Minecraft.
Adept marketers such as OS Studios know how to determine the difference between the trend types and harness the power of each to engage audiences and build powerful brands. “Gaming culture and gamers as a whole are amongst the most savvy groups of individuals who can sniff out marketing from a mile away,” says Higgins. As audiences become savvier media consumers, marketers like OS Studios work to stay one step ahead.
Building Community and Avoiding Trend Fatigue
It can be obvious when a company is just jumping on a trend without understanding the nuances of why it’s trending or what they should do to properly leverage the trend for their brand. Any marketing or brand strategy move involving trends should always begin with an analysis of the trend. Who does the trend speak to? Where did it come from? Does the trend’s target fit your brand’s target market? Trends can be a springboard for innovation and viral moments, but only if used thoughtfully. Not every trend may fit your brand — and that’s okay.
For Higgins and OS Studios, marketing is more about building community, creating ‘snackable’ content, and riding the right global trends to thrill their audiences. After coming from a theater background, Higgins knows how important it is to keep the audience coming back for more — a concept that can be a struggle if one is just trend-hopping.
Marketers must keep their eyes on brand consistency when weaving trends into their marketing strategies. They also need to be aware of trend fatigue — something the world may be starting to experience with “very demure.” There’s only so many times you can hear a viral phrase before it starts to get old. But fear not, marketers, the next viral sensation is right around the corner.
Higgins has been in the entertainment game long enough to know that there are trends and then there are cultural shifts that stand the test of time. With OS Studios, he is blending a “culture vulture” mentality with years of experience to create experiential activations and thrilling moments for audiences — building on the force that is gaming culture for the next generation.
About the author: Amanda Reseburg has been a freelance journalist since 2016, with work featured in Scary Mommy and the Beloit Daily News. She was a creative entrepreneur for 13 years and founded her own hospice photography volunteer program, profiled by PBS. She lives in Orlando with her husband and three children.
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