Difference between Fad and Trend
If you are a follower of fashion, you would know that there are some trends and others are just fads. For those who are not aware of the fashion terms, these may seem the same but they have considerable differences between them. As an example, hot pink feature walls are a fad but using colours recommended by designers is a trend. If a product is a fad, it will be popular for some time and there will be a lot of hype about it. Then it will disappear from the scene very quickly. Designer blogs, fashion magazines, ramp walks and social media is filled with information about the latest trends and fads. We are constantly being bombarded by various fads and trends through the internet.
Many marketers and manufacturers cash on fad products and are make amazing profits. Sometimes a fad can become a trend and continue to be on the fashion scene for quite a while. Many people think that one of the major differences is the effect these two have on various industries. A fad usually benefits a single industry and the effect doesn’t spill over. For example, parachute pants became the thing in the 1980’s but they couldn’t capture the market for long. As opposed to that, Apple’s iPods have created an impact, affecting different industries and becoming a trend.
There is a difference of the degree of acceptance between fashion and fad. If a company is a trendsetter, they will not invest in fads as this will effect their market repute. It cannot be determined at once whether a product is a trend or fad until the market reaction is seen. Small companies usually invest in fad items while big companies want to create trends. As an example, weight loss is such a big issue nowadays, many fad diets emerged on the scene publicising fast weight loss. The exercise recommended for losing abdominal fat is a trend while the different exercise machines for this purpose are considered a fad. The quality of products can sometimes differentiate between fad and trend. It is perceived that fad products are not very durable so there quality is not as good as those of other trend products.
