Study: 40% Of Consumers Support Brand Trend-Jumping via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Social media influences modern civilization and user behavior, truthful brands are pressured to enactment relevant.

The 2025 Sprout Social Index reveals that 40% of consumers find it “cool” erstwhile brands prosecute successful viral trends, portion 33% see it “embarrassing.”

Additionally, 27% of respondents accidental that participating successful trends is lone effectual wrong 24-48 hours.

This information highlights the equilibrium brands indispensable support erstwhile engaging with online culture.

Generational Divide connected Trend Participation

People’s views connected brands that travel trends alteration by generation. Gen Z, astir progressive connected TikTok and Instagram, often supports trend-following brands, portion Boomers thin to disapprove.

This quality shows that brands request to recognize their audiences.

Younger consumers whitethorn admit brands that prosecute successful trends, arsenic agelong arsenic it feels genuine. In contrast, older consumers whitethorn necessitate a much cautious attack to debar alienation.

Success requires much than conscionable being timely; authenticity and relatability are key.

Jumping connected a viral meme oregon hashtag tin look forced if it lacks a wide transportation to the brand. Brands should recognize the taste discourse of the trends they join.

A Balanced Approach to Trends

Engaging successful trends tin pull audiences and amusement taste awareness, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Data reveals that consumers worth originality and accordant engagement conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic aligning with trends.

Posting solely to support visibility oregon jumping connected each viral infinitesimal tin weaken a brand’s individuality and neglect to link with its audience.

Instead, brands should follow a balanced approach, which includes:

• Selective Participation: Identify trends that align with the brand’s values, voice, and assemblage interests.
• Cultural Awareness: Understand the deeper taste value of trends to guarantee information feels integrated alternatively than opportunistic.
• Original Content: Enhance trend-based contented with original, human-centric storytelling that builds spot and loyalty implicit time.

What This Means For Marketers

Joining trends tin assistance link with audiences, but it needs to beryllium done carefully. Brands should see the benefits of engaging with a inclination versus the hazard of seeming fake oregon retired of touch.

To beryllium successful, marketers should:

1. Focus connected Relevant Trends: Use societal listening tools to find conversations and trends that substance to their people audience.
2. Act Fast: Create speedy workflows to instrumentality vantage of trends wrong 24 to 48 hours.
3. Stay True to Their Identity: Make definite each content, whether related to trends oregon not, reflects the brand’s halfway values and personality.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 Sprout Social Index shows however consumers consciousness astir participating successful trends.

About 40% enactment inclination participation, portion 33% reason it. This disagreement highlights the request for cautious decision-making.

Brands that worth authenticity, taste understanding, and speedy actions volition amended link with trends without losing their individuality oregon driving distant their audience.

Marketers indispensable see their audience’s preferences and online environment. When done correctly, joining trends tin marque a marque much applicable and assistance make lasting lawsuit relationships.

Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock