“Who gives a f*ck about the trend?”
Matt Klein is talking about the cultural analysis industry he works in, an ecosystem built to help brands spot and react to shifts in culture. Brands have never had more technology at their fingertips to help them decode trends, but that is meaningless without understanding the context.
Three of the most commonly used approaches are social listening, audience segmentation, and a newer breed of AI‑driven trend prediction tools. Social listening platforms such as Brandwatch or Hootsuite analyze millions of online mentions tied to particular keywords. The sector is rapidly growing, with a Mordor study valuing it at USD $9–$10bn with projections to reach $20.51 billion by 2031.
