Today’s trend cycle moves at lightning speed, creating intense pressure for marketers to stay ahead. To keep up, they must constantly monitor the pulse of emerging trends.
There’s no shortage of trends in the world today - and they’re only gaining speed. Trends are growing 4.4x times faster and they’re dropping off 14 times faster, too.1
“Trends can feel ephemeral these days: here today, gone tomorrow,” says Venya Wijegoonewardene, chief strategy officer at Spark Foundry UK. “Whilst consumers, brands and marketing teams can be quick to mobilise around trends, they can sometimes dissipate as quickly as they form.”
The rise of social media may have a lot to do with that. Not only has it amplified the visibility of trends and made them more accessible, it also makes it harder for marketers to distinguish between fleeting, short-lived fads and durable, lasting trends that provide meaningful value.
To stay ahead of the curve, brands must learn to foresee wider shifts in consumer behaviour
Even if trends have staying power, jumping on every one out of fear of missing out can quickly dilute a brand’s authenticity and drain resources. Trying to be everywhere at once is a surefire way for brands to lose their distinct voice and become just another player in a crowded market.
Bigger trends often stem from smaller, everyday insights
Wijegoonewardene warns marketers against chasing fads in an attempt to stay relevant. “Brands can spend too much time thinking reactively, which can detract from brand consistency and make it seem like they’re engaging in areas that don’t align with their true identity,” she says.
At their core, trends represent larger consumer shifts - that, in turn, ripple through wider culture. A reliable third party with expertise and insights into what will likely be popular in the future provides opportunities for marketers to consciously decide which trends they should get behind, and which to leave behind. Pinterest can be that reliable source.
“Each month over half a billion action-oriented people from around the world come to Pinterest to plan what’s next — their next home, next outfit or even their next meal - which provides us with the perfect source of data for trend forecasting,”2 explains Beth Horn, Pinterest’s UK managing director.
Wijegoonewardene points out that bigger trends often stem from smaller, everyday insights, acting as powerful indicators of evolving consumer behaviour. She says, “Data is your friend and can help you identify longer term patterns alongside short-term anomalies. So, it’s important to think both ‘microscopic’ and ‘telescopic’ in how these seemingly ephemeral trends may signal long-term shifts and ladder up to more universal consumer truths.”
How Pinterest leverages its vast wealth of data to see into the future
Fortunately, marketers have access to tools that can help them understand shifts in consumer behaviour. One of these tools is Pinterest Predicts, which is leveraging its extensive range of user data to help brands distinguish between trends that are worth investing in, and those that may just be fleeting fads.
To forecast how trends are likely to evolve on Pinterest, machine learning is used to pull and analyse billions of searches from the platform’s global user base spanning Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers. A team of creatives, strategists and researchers then collaborate to identify emerging patterns.
Next, Pinterest distils these insights into distinct trends across multiple categories that reach global audiences. To ensure inclusivity and representation, the platform works together with third-party experts. The findings are then shared in its annual “not-yet-trending” Pinterest Predicts report, which highlights the key trends expected to shape the year ahead.
Over the past five years, 80% of Pinterest Predicts’ trends have materialised4
Pinterest Predicts has a strong record of successfully predicting trends. Horn describes it as a “cheat sheet” that helps marketers see what people are intending to “do, try and buy” in the year ahead.
“People come to Pinterest intending to be inspired. They come to plan and purchase, so it’s the ideal environment for brands to engage with their audience, who are already in a shopping mindset,” she says. “In an era where guesswork is simply not enough, brands should look to our trends to better understand what’s genuinely going to resonate and be big in culture this year.”
Understanding these trends more deeply means brands can allocate their marketing budget, product development and influencer partnerships more effectively. This minimises wasted effort and maximises the impact of their strategies, leading to longer-lasting connections.
According to Horn, Gen Z is driving 65% of the report’s trends this year.5 This is a generation that many brands are trying to target, given the rapid expansion of their spending power as the generation continues to age into adulthood.
Gen Z’s boldness, authenticity and desire for originality are influencing the products and services they choose. They’re also redefining contemporary culture. For marketers aiming to connect with this demographic, these insights are invaluable.
“2025 is set to be unapologetically bold, daring and authentic,” says Horn. “I can’t wait.”
Discover the trends set to define 2025 with Pinterest Predicts
1 Signoi Social Analytics, Quantitative and Qualitative Research commissioned by Pinterest; US, UK, and DE, monthly Pinterest users A18-42, March 2024, based on Google search of trends and related concepts
2 Pinterest, Global analysis, Q3 2024
3 Pinterest internal data; Global searches, related Pin Saves and Product Pin outbound clicks; July 2018 - June 2024
4 Pinterest internal data; Global searches, related Pin Saves and Product Pin outbound clicks; July 2018 - June 2024
5 Pinterest internal data, English language search data, Global, analysis period September 2022 to August 2024, Gen Z (18-27)
Today’s trend cycle moves at lightning speed, creating intense pressure for marketers to stay ahead. To keep up, they must constantly monitor the pulse of emerging trends.
There’s no shortage of trends in the world today - and they’re only gaining speed. Trends are growing 4.4x times faster and they’re dropping off 14 times faster, too.1
“Trends can feel ephemeral these days: here today, gone tomorrow,” says Venya Wijegoonewardene, chief strategy officer at Spark Foundry UK. “Whilst consumers, brands and marketing teams can be quick to mobilise around trends, they can sometimes dissipate as quickly as they form.”
