Spotting the Death of a Trend

Just a quick trip to the mall or local grocery store and you will see them. In fact, this year, they can be seen just everywhere, and they are signaling the final phase of a trend that started in the early 2000's. The "they" I'm talking about is the late adopters to the Uggs boots fashion trend. They are typically middle aged (and older) women who are finally embracing the trend, which has reached a comfortable level of social acceptance and proliferation. I predict that by this time next year, these boots will have taken a sharp decline. This means that all the copycat brands that have, in recent months, started producing their own take on the Ugg style, hoping to cash in on the trend, will be forced to find another trend to ripoff. And it also means that the Uggs brand, should be searching for their next hook of relevance. The art of spotting trends early and take action, as I've covered before, is a vital part of putting your company ahead of the competition. But the ability to spot the death of a trend can be just as valuable, because an accurate and early recognition of a trend that's reaching it's peak, can provide a time table for strategic planning and action. How many chapters are in your brand's story?