Trends vs Core Drivers

How many “trends for 2014” emails have you received recently?  It is that time of the year. 

Just in case you missed out, the folks at Trendwatching.com have a great presentation on the seven trends to run with in 2014, complete with examples of brands already in on the action.  Or if you prefer to see how communication technology might impact your consumers' lives in 2014, Ericsson’s Consumer Lab have released a rather thorough, data-backed report on their “10 top ten consumer trends for 2014”.

If you would just prefer a press-release overview – you can check out Marketwired for the Euromonitor view of things as well as trends published in The Guardian and  Forbes.

But with so many trends about, how do you make sense of them for your brand?  How do you work out which trends matter and tap into those ones in a way that is consistent with your brand positioning and needs of your target market? 

Key to doing this is remembering that while trends most certainly provide inspiration, insight comes from exploring the core drivers for your target market that your brand is tapping into. 

Trends, like all consumer (in fact, “human”) behaviour are driven by the desire to fulfil core emotional needs.   Think status or security or the need for connection, for example.   Understanding which of these drive your target market to choose your brand will unlock the insights you need to take advantage of the changing landscape in which you and your consumers find yourselves.   

Not sure what core needs are? Self-help guru, Tony Robbins, lists 6 core emotional needs that drive our behaviour and our choices.   Certainty, variety, significance, connection, growth and contribution. 

What core drivers does your brand tap into?