In a world focused on the short term, stimuli and trends, many brands focus on “being fashionable” instead of building proposals with a transcendent vision.
They create products or services that respond more to an immediate desire, generally of the ego, than to a real need, with all the risks that this may represent.
The result? Businesses that shine briefly and disappear without a trace.
Behind this model is a dangerous logic: designing for the ego, not for well-being over time; selling an immediate illusion, not a lasting solution.
The worrying thing is that this trend not only affects those who invest in it. It also distorts the market, devalues real innovation and depletes consumer confidence.
Three cases that illustrate this reality
- Juicero. A Silicon Valley startup that promised to revolutionize the way we consume juice with a $400 smart press. With an impeccable design and health narrative, it raised more than $120 million. The problem? The juice pouches could be squeezed by hand. The product was unnecessary. Juicero became a symbol of how hype obsession can end in failure.
- Quibi. Video platform that offered brief content for mobile devices. It bet on a real trend (fast consumption on smartphones), but without a deep understanding of the user. Ignored that the audience already had what they needed. YouTube, TikTok, Instagram. In less than a year, Quibi closed after losing close to $2 billion.
- Fyre Festival. A music festival sold as a luxury experience on a private island. Driven by influencers and ambitious marketing, it promised glamour, exclusivity and “living the dream.” The reality was a logistical disaster, million-dollar lawsuits and a reputation crisis. It was an extreme case of a brand without substance, created to feed the ego of its audience… and its creators.
Why does this approach harm the economy and business?
- Creates investment bubbles. Resources are channeled to ideas that do not solve anything significant, displacing valuable projects.
- It generates distrust in the market. Consumers become more skeptical of new proposals, even if they are honest.
- It fosters a short-term business culture. It prioritizes virality over vision, design over purpose, noise over substance.
- Saturates the ecosystem with products of no real value. Time, money, and attention is wasted on expendable solutions.
It contributes to an economy of appearance. Many times these products are meant to feed vanity or pride, not to truly improve people’s lives.
Which is the way?
Instead of following fads, brands should build from a clear identity, a useful purpose and a genuine engagement with their audience. A great business model.
Create something worth keeping, not just sharing. A strong brand.
In a market full of superficiality, building with awareness is a strategy, not a fallacy.
Does your brand want to transcend fads?
At ADmira Brand, we help you develop an authentic, solid and relevant proposal for your market.
Let’s build a brand with purpose, not just presence.
