Have you ever noticed how some trends come to define an era?
Think back to your childhood. If you are Gen Z, you’ll remember loom bands and fidget spinners, ankle-rubbing jelly shoes and illicit batches of slime.
Trend-tastic
2021 was the year that Stanley cups were all the rage, swiftly followed by 2022’s clean girl aesthetic, which flooded our For You pages with Korean skincare. Soon, we were swept up by the McDonald’s Grimace shake and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, leading to the resurgence of friendship bracelets in 2023. By 2024, ‘kidults’ had gone mainstream, with sales of Lego, Jellycats and Labubus skyrocketing. 2025 ultimately passed me by, though I noted with a hint of confusion that mesh ballet flats were a thing.
For now, it’s too early to say what will define 2026. Velvet nails seem to be having a moment. That, and illegally keeping monkeys as pets. But I digress. My point is that, at the time, these trends didn’t just capture the cultural zeitgeist. They felt like a necessity. Social media told us that we needed that impractical water bottle or that frivolous lip mask, so we bought it. We forked out money on soft toys and sneakerinas, things we never thought we’d purchase, had TikTok not shoved them down our throats.
Helplessly drawn to these products, like moths to a flame, we seem utterly incapable of resisting trends. This is partly down to the way our brains are wired. Primates are highly social creatures. Considering that we share nearly 99 per cent of our DNA with apes, it is not surprising that we display similar behaviours. Early humans are thought to have banded together in loose packs to maximise survival. For them, there was safety in numbers. A willingness to mix with other groups prevented inbreeding, while cooperation during hunting ensured successful food distribution. Isolation was certain death. Those who were more social lived longer, healthier lives and passed that trait down to their offspring.
Sheep Thrills
Today, we fear exclusion just as much as our ancestors did. When you buy into a trend, you are subconsciously hoping to gain social currency and acceptance as a result. Meanwhile, anyone who shuns the craze is labelled ‘uncool’ and becomes an outcast. It sounds a tad extreme, but modern FOMO triggers our inner fight-or-flight response.
Evolution may have instilled within us a desire to follow the crowd, but social media has taken herd mentality to a whole other level. Nearly half of all consumers make at least one purchase a month because of what they see on social media. Evidently, brands are harnessing these platforms to optimise sales. Back in 2022, a study from Pew Research found that 30 per cent of adults in the US bought a product because it was recommended to them by an influencer. By 2024, that figure had increased to 74 per cent. Why? Because we view influencers as more human and therefore more trustworthy than brands or celebrities, even if they have been paid to advertise certain products.
These statistics highlight the power of social media marketing. But with each passing moment, companies are finding new and inventive ways to exploit our susceptibility to trends. Emerging technologies are key. AI will soon be hyper-sensitive to consumers’ tastes and craft more effective advertising campaigns than any human ever could. Additionally, the dawn of neuromarketing means that firms can now track our reactions to their billboards, whether that be our line of sight, facial expressions or even brain activity, and tweak them accordingly.
That’s great news for brands, ensuring that consumers notice their products. For us, though, adverts are becoming increasingly intrusive. They have wheedled their way into our homes over the decades, making it impossible to eat breakfast or open our inbox without being bombarded by promotional content. There appears to be nowhere to hide. If you need convincing, read up on the ‘creepy’ smart fridge advert that allegedly triggered its owner to have a psychotic episode. In the face of such unrelenting marketing tactics, we are but a herd of sheep, whose only thought is to buy whatever trending wares are shoved under our noses.
21st-Century Luddite
But some people are fighting back. No more giving in to overpriced keychains or extortionate carrier bags, they say. Down with the obnoxious advertising and influencer endorsements! These modern Luddites are taking matters into their own hands — literally, in the case of one Chinese student — to break the trend cycle. And can you blame them, considering how harmful overconsumption is for both our wallets and the planet? Globally, there is growing support for the slow movement, which is all about breaking free from the herd and resisting fads. In fact, interest in the term ‘slow living’ has been on the rise since 2020, according to Google Trends.
For some, this may involve increasing the longevity of their purchases by thrifting or repurposing items instead of buying something new. Others might choose to forsake social media entirely and eliminate all sources of temptation. It’s easier than it sounds. Despite our outrageously high screen time, evidence shows that we are currently experiencing online ennui, with a third of users posting less than they did a year ago. Plus, with a social media ban for under-16s being debated, the UK’s youth will hopefully have time to develop their critical thinking skills, preventing them from being easily swayed by influencer ads or dangerous trends. However, it remains to be seen whether an outright ban will be an effective means of curbing teenagers’ shopping enthusiasm, amongst other things.
Simply Irresistible!
Modern Luddites are attempting to take a stand against social media and excessive materialism. But they remain a minority. In reality, I don’t believe that we will ever truly break free from the relentless trend cycle. A toxic combination of evolutionary behaviour and intricate marketing techniques makes it nigh on impossible. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check out those viral Lego brick Crocs.
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