Module 2

Understanding Trends and Fads

 MODULE 2B

Defining a Fad
• What is a Fad?
• Stages of a Fad
• Elements and Characteristic of a Fad
• To be able to identify the difference between a trend
and a fad
• To be able to recognize recurring trends and fads in
our time
• To know use this skills as an advantage in the 21st
century world
• To equip oneself with the necessary skills that can be
used in different aspects of life
The 21 st
Century
Learner
Trend and fad are sometimes
interchanged because many
consider the two concepts
synonymous. However, trend and
fad are actually two different
concepts. Compared to a trend, a
fad is a short-lived idea or
temporary event that is usually
called as a “flash in the pan”
because the popularity and
reception of consumers for this
idea fades away easily over a short
period of time
Its appeal among consumers
is relatively small as well. To
put it simply, a fad has a
shorter staying power in the
market. It has a particular
beginning and a fixed end of
influence. When a fad
reaches a certain point of its
popularity, it declines and
eventually disappears in the
market.
• The use of a particular color of paint
• A new hairstyle
• A dance move
Fads involve a lesser number of people and has a
shorter duration of time. They even have shorter
duration than fashions.
1. Fad is confined to particular segments in society
2. Fad is trivial because of its short life expectancy. It is prone to being
outmoded
3. Fad is not created but it is just revived from a style that existed all along in
the lives of some subgroup.
Trends and fads are different because they vary in terms
of time duration, the number of industries affected,
industry acceptance, consumer adoption and perception
of overall quality, reason for rise, incubation period and
life span, scope, and cultural roots
One major difference between a
fad and a trend is duration. A fad
product enjoys a few months of
unexpected popularity, but
disappears just as quickly as it
appears. The lifespan of most
fads is notoriously short. But if a
fad item becomes a trend, it can
remain popular for decades.
Some say the difference between a fad and a trend
is based on the number of industries it affects. A
fad often appears in a single industry and rarely
crosses over into others. The introduction of a
particular style of pants called parachute pant or
jeans made from a thin nylon material did not
become an accepted fashion element of young
people in the 1980s. But the recent introduction of
iPod, on the other hand, went beyond the realm of
fashion and has become a trend in the wireless
communications and music industries. At the
present, portable electronic devices have become
a trend, while clothing styles remain as fads which
are trapped in particular time.
Another difference is industry acceptance.
Investing in a fad item can be risky for
companies known for setting trends. It can
be very difficult to tell the difference
between or and the other before the
product or service reaches the buying
public. Smaller companies often have the
flexibility necessary to promote a faddish
item, while larger companies tend to wait
until the initial smoke clears and a trend
can be determined
Another difference between a fad and a
trend is the perception of overall quality.
Fad items are rarely expected to stand for
a long period of time, but trends tend to
survive the decade in which they were
created. This can be attributed to the
overall quality of trend introduced. Trends
are items introduced in the market that
have greater consumer adoption due to
their effectiveness. Some fads that
eventually lose following are products of
false advertising so they eventually die
after a few months or years
Trends generally have identifiable and
explainable increases caused by the
consumers’ needs and in consonance with
other consumer lifestyle trends. On the
other hand, fads are determined by an
emotional need to purchase, based on
publicity and fervent product options. The
benefits are ill-conceived or not assured,
and most of the time they do not
necessarily deliver what was promised to
the consumers
Trends develop slowly while fads
increase, decrease, and
eventually die out quickly. Trends
have long staying power. Trends
take longer to build and their
effects may be felt for years and
sometimes even decades.
Trends have deeper cultural roots
than fads because the latter cross
borders easily. Trends don cross
cultural borders as easily as fads
do. Trends have cultural
attachments to the society in
which it is introduced. If a fad has
no cultural connection with the
people, its popularity and
acceptability is short - lived.
• Mangiduyos, G (2017). Trends , Networks,
and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century: Rex
bookstore
• Dela Cruz, A. (2018)The Padayon Series:
Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking in
the 21st Century: Phoenix publishing house