Back then, brands would wait to see if a trend stuck before making content. Now, they push out ads so fast it often looks rushed. I remember one campaign that took months to launch, and it was more real.
I remember when every brand tried to use dance challenges in ads. Over time, I learned to see when they don't understand the culture behind the trend. How do you judge if a brand's trend attempt is good or bad?
Last month, the #DigitalDetox trend blew up on TikTok. Everyone was sharing their offline routines. Then this app, CalmMind, started pushing ads. They framed their app as essential for detox. But it required daily logins and alerts. I downloaded it to see the hype. The content was repetitive. Felt like a cash grab on mindfulness. Their trendjacking was so transparent.