Riding on Trend

Finding a trend feels like finding a winning lottery ticket.

You’re looking at your Mediapod report, and you see it: a sudden spike in conversations about “protein coffee.” Or maybe it’s a specific aesthetic like “Old Money” taking over TikTok.

The adrenaline kicks in. You know this is an opportunity. But then, the “Corporate Immune System” kicks in. “Is it just a fad?” “We can’t launch a new product in two weeks!” “Let’s set up a committee to discuss it.”

By the time the committee meets, the trend is over.

In 2025, speed is your only competitive advantage. You don’t need a 6-month product roadmap to ride a trend; you need a Go-to-Market (GTM) sprint. Here is your 3-step playbook for turning a “cool insight” into revenue, fast.

 

Step 1: The Reality Check (Validate the Vibe)

Before you panic-call your R&D team, you need to know if this is a Flash or a Fire.

  • A Flash is a viral meme. It burns hot for 48 hours and vanishes. (e.g., The “Corn Kid” song).
  • A Fire is a shift in behavior. It grows steadily and changes how people buy. (e.g., “Skin Barrier Repair”).

The Action: Use your listening tool to look at the history.

Scenario: A beverage manager sees “Protein Coffee” trending.

  • Check 1: Is the volume growing month-over-month? (Yes).
  • Check 2: Is it cross-platform? (Yes, it’s on TikTok and Reddit).
  • Check 3: Is the sentiment positive? (Yes, people are sharing recipes, not mocking it).

Verdict: This is a Fire. Proceed to Step 2.

 

Step 2: The “Soft” Launch (Curate, Don’t Create)

The biggest mistake brands make is thinking they need to manufacture a new product to join a trend. You usually don’t. You just need to re-frame what you already have.

The Action: Look at your existing inventory. Do you have a product that fits this trend if you just changed the story?

Scenario: The beverage brand doesn’t have a “Protein Coffee” SKU. But they do sell Black Coffee cans and Vanilla Protein Shakes.

Instead of waiting 6 months to bottle a new drink, they launch a “Pro-Coffee Bundle” on their website the next day. They bundle the coffee and the shake together with a 10% discount and a recipe card.

Result: They are in the market now, testing demand with zero manufacturing risk.

 

Step 3: The “Hard” Launch (Double Down)

You’ve validated the trend with data (Step 1) and tested it with a bundle or content (Step 2). If the sales are rolling in, now you have the business case to go big.

The Action: This is where you invest in paid ads, influencer partnerships, and maybe even that new product SKU.

Scenario: The “Pro-Coffee Bundle” sells out in a week. The marketing director takes that sales data to the CEO. Now, they approve the budget to:

  1. Partner with 5 fitness influencers on TikTok to promote the “hack.”
  2. Fast-track the R&D for an official “High-Protein Latte” can for next quarter.

 

Conclusion: Agility Beats Perfection

The brands that win in 2026 won’t be the ones with the perfect 5-year plan. They will be the ones who can spot a signal on Monday, bundle an offer on Tuesday, and launch ads on Wednesday.

Don’t let the trend die in a meeting room. Validate it, bundle it, and sell it.

 

Spotting the trend is the first step. Mediapod’s Industry Pulse report gives you the early warning signal you need to beat your competitors to the punch.