There is widespread confusion between something trending vs. a trend that is worth thinking about in a strategic context. Momentary microtrends and passing fads are not the same as trends that indicate long-term cultural shifts and changes in consumer behavior.

Over the past few years, it’s become obvious that trends are trending. At this point, I think we can all agree that the frenzy around “identifying” and “explaining” various TikTok “micro-trends” is exhausting and redundant. In reality, something “trending” on social media does not make it a culturally relevant trend. TikTok “cores” are often just... See more