Is it possible to use advertising to create a trend? Can we use advertising to start a social movement? Can advertising be used to get the ball rolling and change the way our society works? Advertising to create a trend is possible and it is done more often than you think. Specially placed advertising in the form of public-relations, public service announcements and or political advertising is often used to create trends.

What is a trend? A trend is a change in a social movement, which takes about 7% of the people or more to start. It is easy to see how trends work when you are in large groups of people. And it is very interesting to watch trends that are created by organizations and political parties. Careful advertising and marketing is probably the easiest way to start a trend by alerting the public that changes needed and changes are currently happening and therefore you should join in too.

Of course most trends by nature of their definition are other than the status quo. This makes for controversy and controversy is easier to publicize. Therefore it only takes that a little bit of advertising is used to help kick off a new trend. Of course it must be backed up with reality and real numbers behind it. Nevertheless the squeaky wheel will get the oil and advertising the squeak is one way to start a trend. Please consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow