💀 Social trend content is embarrassing (33% of consumers say so?!)

Social media trend content

Over-reliance on trend content dilutes brand identity, attracts non-buyers, disrupts workflow, and often misses the timing window — original content is harder but builds brands over time.

Employee-generated content

Employee-generated content is a terrible idea for most brands, lumped in with other copycat social trends that hurt more than help.

Social media marketers' skill gap

Many social media marketers care more about social media than marketing itself, failing to develop the core skill of making content stand on its own without trends or memes.

Trend content timing

Brand approval processes mean most trend content attempts miss the boat entirely, given that 27% of consumers say trend content is only effective within 24-48 hours of a trend's lifespan.

Original Content Outperforms Trend Chasing for Brand Building

Despite the industry defaulting to trend content for easy engagement, 57% of consumers want original content series from brands, and 33% find trend content embarrassing — making originality the higher-ROI long-term play.

Goes against the dominant social media industry practice of prioritizing trend participation for reach, arguing it dilutes brand identity and attracts non-buyers