Jumping on the b(r)andwagon? How to spot the trends that will last

Stanback was speaking at a Pinterest roundtable held at The Drum Labs, alongside industry leaders to explore the speed and impact of trends on marketing strategies and unpack how brands can harness forward-facing insights to stay relevant, resonant, and ready for what’s next.

Participants included:

• Will Fisher, global head of partnerships, Tribe
• Sarah Kay, co-founder and director, Golborne
• Imogen Beri, head of social, John Lewis & Partners
• Laur Convery, senior brand manager, Malibu Rum (Pernod Ricard)
• Beth Horn, UK managing director, Pinterest

Fleeting fad or sustainable shift?

This sped-up trend cycle may have a lot to do with the rise of short-form video. They’re the top reason that 18 to 42-year-olds believe trends move so quickly. Marketers are feeling the heat too because these trends move so fast that the second brands jump on the bandwagon, the trend has already peaked. Understanding which ones will truly last can give brands a competitive edge. But how can marketers tell the difference?

Brands who look beyond the surface of trends and stay focused on consumer emotion will be the ones who win, says Stanback. It’s not just about what’s trending, but why: “If a business wants to tap into any type of trend, whether it’s a micro trend or a macro trend, they really need to understand the underlying sentiment at the time amongst consumers – how they’re feeling in the moment.”

Over the past year, Pinterest has seen this sentiment become more unapologetically bold, loud and expressive. For 2025, Stanback predicts consumers will want to tap into trends which help them feel “escapism and joy” from what feels like an increasingly chaotic world.

Adaptability & authenticity are key

So how are marketers adapting their strategies to the ever-accelerating pace of trends? John Lewis, for example, has an in-house forecasting team dedicated to identifying long-term trends, so it’s a “balancing act” between their data, the long lead times of product development and keeping up with the immediacy of what’s trending in the moment – which, for a large retailer can take a lot of time and energy when managing so many different internal stakeholders.

“It’s really easy, especially for a brand like us, where we operate in basically every category, to get lost and lose that brand identity,” explains Beri. “If you’re trying to jump on too many different trends, you just end up looking a bit like you don’t really know what you’re trying to do or who you’re trying to talk to – so we’ve put in some guardrails to avoid that happening.”

The retailer has learned to embrace experimentation, trialing content on Pinterest to see what resonates and what doesn’t. “We have to be okay with the fact that we're going to put some content out, and it might not land, and we’ll put other content out and it will,” says Beri.

Similarly, Malibu’s social strategy incorporates both long-term trend forecasting and quick social wins as the drinks brand hooks onto shifts which feel right for its voice and what it stands for. A key strategy is to focus on milestones – life events like graduation, moving to a new city, starting a new job – that offer universal and enduring engagement points to its audience: “Malibu can play a role in those moments and mean something,” Convery says.

For marketers, the message is clear: trends can inspire creativity and connection, but they must be approached with strategy and intention. By understanding what drives a trend and staying true to brand values, businesses can navigate the chaos and make a meaningful impact on their audiences.

Stay tuned for part two of our ‘Tomorrow’s Trends’ series coming soon. To craft campaigns to set your brand apart in the coming year, check out Pinterest Predicts 2025.