I think trend prediction is largely a waste of time except in specific fields such as appliance colors, clothing, or long term forecasting (as in technology) etc.

Why? Because people are creatures of habit. Unless you take established habits, whether buying habits, use habits, or whatever habits into consideration and go from that point, you have very little chance of changing people's behavior patterns long term. Short term, perhaps, but not long term. Why do you think most New Years Resolutions are soon forgotten? They're bandages, not solutions for the long term.

That being said, you need to become AWARE of these patterns and habits. Then, if you wish to exploit or modify behavior patterns, you have to begin from where the customer IS, not where you'd like them to be. From there on, you can build as you wish but not until you understand and appreciate what foundation the customer/client is standing on first.

Not what you expected, perhaps, but definitely food for thought for any marketer.

Sandi Bowman