Trend setting

When I was working on my internship project I found out one thing “people sometimes do things even when there is no requirement”. They do certain things only because that is what everybody else is doing around them. This is clearly observable in our recent bollywood movies. You read about actresses’ answers when they were asked about a smooch in the movie; she would have told that the script demanded it. Funny that we are getting almost same stories and scripts as those written 10 yrs back but nowadays the scripts are demanding kisses. (My only gripe is why is the demand stopping there?) This is an example of a trend.
On a serious note we can think about numerous trends. Lets look at Apple, they are not producing appliances based on trends but are trendsetters. Apple focuses on simplifying things and making the products look sleek and beautiful. This has helped Apple in its positioning, gaining mind share, gaining market share and create a following. Once a trend is set there will be people who follow it. Trendsetter obviously had first mover advantage but companies that ape don’t have to invest too much on R & D so they reduce their cost. This is one of the things that I observed. Once companies come out with similar products most of the time the competition is all on price. So what does the trendsetter do? This is when a trendsetter continues to exist or perishes. Those who continue to exist bring about new enhancements and add on features, which help sell the product before it can be aped and then come up with a different product. This thing is clearly evident in the Mobile market.
What about those going with the trend? We can talk about Fastrack. It identified a trend that the younger generation wanted affordable, branded and fashionable watches and sunglasses. Though competitors are there for watches and sunglasses separately there are not many under the same brand name (I can think of only TIMEX and SWATCH).
I think the difference between those going with the trend and those setting the trend are Trendsetters innovate and make people realize that they have an unfulfilled need. For example take the example of iPOD. There was a Walkman and a radio but the thing was none of them were sleek. iPOD started a trend. In the case of Fastrack they did not create an innovative thing to make people aware that there is a need to be unfulfilled but identified the gaps in the market to create a thing that satisfied a segment.
Now think of having a music player in your pocket you may think of i Pod, there may be a Nike football shoe that I want not because I need it but because everybody else who plays football prefers it. Think of social networking many of us who do not check or make friends on facebook or orkut are still there because that’s the trend. Trendsetters gain mind share even without trying hard. The goal for most companies is to be a trendsetter. (Disclaimer: These are just my views)