Trends Are Tools, Not Strategies
Trends move fast.
Strategy moves with intention.
In marketing, it’s easy to confuse the two. A new platform emerges, a format takes off, an algorithm shifts—and suddenly everyone’s “reworking the strategy.” But here’s the truth:
Trends are tools. Strategy is the plan.
When brands mistake trends for strategy, they chase momentum instead of building it. And while trends can amplify great work, they can’t replace clear thinking, strong foundations, or long-term direction.
Trends are visible. Strategy often isn’t.
A trend shows up in your feed, your inbox, or a pitch deck:
A new social format
A viral content style
An emerging channel
A hot metric everyone’s optimizing for
They promise relevance, speed, and growth—all things brands want. But without context, trends become shortcuts. And shortcuts tend to lead somewhere you didn’t intend to go.
What Strategy Actually Does
Strategy answers the harder questions:
Who are we here for?
What problem are we solving?
Why should anyone care?
How do we measure success over time?
Strategy creates alignment. It helps teams say no as confidently as they say yes. It ensures that when a trend shows up, you know whether it serves your goals—or distracts from them.
Without strategy, trends dictate your direction.
With strategy, trends become optional tools.
Trends as Tools: The Right Way to Use Them
At Coyote, we think of trends the same way we think about tools in hospitality.
You don’t redesign the entire experience because a new utensil exists. You use it when it improves the meal.
Trends are most effective when they:
Support a clearly defined objective
Enhance an existing system
Meet your audience where they already are
Can be measured against real outcomes
A trend should serve the strategy—not override it.
The Cost of Chasing Every Trend
When brands jump from trend to trend without a plan, a few things happen:
Messaging becomes inconsistent
Teams burn out trying to keep up
Data becomes noisy and hard to interpret
Audiences lose clarity on what the brand actually stands for
Worse, the work starts to feel reactive instead of intentional. And people can feel that difference.
How to Evaluate a Trend Before Adopting It
Before adopting any new trend, ask:
Does this align with our core goals?
Does it serve our audience—or just our visibility?
Do we have the systems to support it well?
What does success look like beyond short-term engagement?
If you can’t answer those questions, the trend isn’t ready to be part of your strategy.
Strategy Creates Staying Power
Trends come and go. Strategy compounds.
The brands that last aren’t the ones that did everything first—they’re the ones that knew why they were doing something at all. They choose trends selectively, implement them thoughtfully, and let go when they no longer add value.
That’s not resistance to change.
That’s disciplined adaptability.
The Takeaway
Trends can spark ideas.
Tools can improve execution.
But strategy is what turns effort into impact.
Want to learn more about turning trends into tools that support real strategy? Let’s connect.