Creating a brand extension into a new cagetory of products can be risky. When ballpoint pen manufacturor Bic started making razors, it worked out well for them. With lighters, same thing. But when it came to making perfume, Bic lost their focus and the product flopped. Up until that point, they had been making products that were for "disposable convenience." Perfume strayed from this category, so it failed.

When I started trendstack.com, I did so intending to follow in the form of sites like trendwatching and springwise. However, since I have started my MBA in Brand Management here in Madison, I've gained clarity in what my focus should be. As such, I have redesigned the blog and moved it to brandbadger.com. I will still be focusing on innovation and creativity, but doing so more in the realm of how it relates to brands instead of trends. I am still tweaking some things about the site, so please be patient as I get everything in order. Overall, I hope you enjoy what you read and that it is relevant for you. Please subscribe and tell your friends!

A lot of people use the words trend and fad interchangeably. In reality, the two are not the same. A fad is a temporary surge in popularity of a fashion, style, or use of a product. A trend on the other hand, is a general course of prevailing tendency. My favorite definition of the word comes from trendwatching.com:

" A [trend is a] manifestation of something that has unlocked or newly serviced an existing (and hardly ever changing) consumer need, desire, want, or value."

Facebook isn't going away because it was the first vehicle that easily allowed us to keep track of old friends. It unlocked the need to communicate in an addictive, new way.

Pogs, skinny jeans, and bug-eyed sunglasses never did that.

Knowing the difference between a trend and a fad might help you avoid ending up like Fountain Fresh.

Trendstack.com is designed to share the most intriguing and effective trends and practices emerging from the world of business. With a goal of chasing creativity, this blog will highlight well-known concepts as well and introduce new thoughts regarding entrepreneurship, marketing, consumer behavior, persuasion, and brand management, to name a few. Check back frequently and feel free to add to the stack with your own perspectives and ideas!