Or “How to Avoid Trend-Chasing as a Positronic Brand”
No matter how good I look for my age, trust me – I’m too old to chase trends.
Those boring standbys – ethics and integrity – are much more appealing these days, and that seems to be the…well, not the trend, but the tendency, among the new generation of entrepreneurs.
We can learn a valuable lesson here: instead of panicking when TikTok bans a sound, or when the algorithm throws a tantrum, a Positronic brand adapts, because it’s wired for intelligence, not impulse.
Trust, authenticity, and consistency are core tenets of Positronics.
Showing that your brand consistently holds fast to its core principles, mission, and stated goals is critical for earning your clients’ trust and respect. It’s also essential for building a brand that outlives trends, showing that you are authentic and not just fauxthentic.
Like it or not, lusting after instant gratification is a part of human nature. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a high school janitor or a Fortune 500 CEO: there will always be a part of our monkey (or is it lizard?) brains that demands satisfaction.
As the late great Veruca Salt once said, “give it to me now!”
Seriously, there is great value in patience, restraint, and maintaining values that transcend the moment. Sure, band-wagoning on trends, memes, or catchy slogans might generate an exciting, if short-lived, boost in engagement. But what happens when your audience inevitably moves on to the next Big Thing (™)?
Granted, snappy, trendy, short-form content does have its time and place, when used in moderation. (I’ll add some examples if I think of any before this goes to press)
Long-term principles, on the other hand, are much more meaningful, substantive, and rewarding.
As marketing experts Tara McFall and Katie Graham write, “Brands that are nurtured over time create deeper connections and yield better returns.” By the same token, brands that prioritize the short-term are at greater risk of burnout and stagnation. Avoiding short-sightedness and prioritizing long-term principles imbues your brand with authenticity and resilience, strengthening your relationship with your clients in the process.
Speaking of resilience, brands that reject trend-chasing in favor of being able to adapt, admit mistakes, and overcome adversity will have a huge competitive advantage. How so?
Well, in the words of branding expert Charlsie Niemiec, “Long term brand building can’t be hacked because it’s not about tactics—it’s about time. It’s about showing up consistently, saying no to opportunities that don’t align with your values, and trusting that slow, steady progress beats viral moments.”
In other words, building a deep emotional connection with your clients creates a strong foundation, allowing you to withstand market fluctuations and shifts in consumer trends.
According to RelyDigital, long-term marketing “builds trust, reduces price sensitivity, and improves conversion rates over time.” They add that more than being just a complement to performance, long-term brand marketing is “the foundation on which sustainable growth is built.”
The final component that’s integral to avoiding trend-chasing is adaptability.
Some might confuse adaptability as being synonymous with trend-chasing and mindless conformity. However, adaptive branding, in its truest, most positive sense, means the complete opposite. It means being able to stay relevant and shift messaging when needed, without compromising on your core principles and values. It also means adjusting your communication style, delivery, and/or storytelling approach, without sacrificing your core identity.
The global marketing firm Pam Plus Plus puts it more succinctly: “Being adaptable means being proactive, not reactive, and using data to inform those proactive moves.” Adaptive brands know how to respond logically, ethically, and intelligently, using data and customer insights, rather than throwing generic content at the wall, and hoping that something sticks.
A core tenet of Positronics is that resilience, transparency, trust, consistency, and adaptability are all strongly interconnected, complementing and building off one another in equal measure.
The more your brand embodies those indispensable values, combined with genuine positivity, humanity, and uplift, the better positioned you’ll be for both short and long-term success. In an age of trends and conformity, stay true to your principles and values. Train your team and AI to do likewise, and you’ll be the brand that stands upright and apart.
If you’d like to delve deeper into these themes and more, join us at 1pm ET on September 25, 2025, for Actual Intelligence: A.I. That Won’t Kill Your Brand.
And of course I’m always happy to chat about working with you 1-1 or in my Authority Lab mastermind.
