The AI era has trends move to overmultiplié. Some love it, some hate it, some people jump shamelessly. This took weeks to propagate once exploded in a few hours. Viral moments like Ghibli and the doll box sparkle and sweep the globe at a dizzying speed. And for each brand, the race to keep the pace has never been faster – or maybe more risky?
It is tempting that American marketing specialists jump on the train, especially when a trend like the last “Barbie AI” takes control of the Internet. A fun and nostalgic moment and an easy way to engage with customers, increase the visibility of the brand and show your virality.
Several brands and characters have successfully jumped successfully. For example, the Australian Wildlife Photographer Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Irwin, was transformed into a figure of action by Bonds Australia, the supplier of underwear for which he began to model in 2025.
In the same way, Mac Cosmetics joined the trend by creating a version generated by Ai-Ai of its brand personality as a figure of action. Locally, we have seen beautiful nostalgic interpretations of Ghibli on the city of Dubai by RTA and Emirates.
It is not an entirely new territory for brands. In September 2024, Adidas demonstrated an interest in the content generated by AI when a speculative advertising promoting a floral collection was fully created using AI tools like Runwayl, Midjourney, Adobe Creative Suite and Topaz. The announcement presented visuals generated by the AI of people in clothes and shoes printed with a floral print, established against various Japanese places.
Although trends can be exciting, it is not always used for the long -term health of a brand. Companies are now confronted with the challenge of determining which digital currents align with their fundamental values and resonate with their long -term strategies.
AI trends also have their current problems with personal identity security. Once you have downloaded a person’s photo on the GPT cat, you have given their identity, and your employees or customers, a brand must have asked for their consent on the same. For products, you could give the world much more to the world you should.
The cost of “becoming viral” can be steep. On the brands and on the planet, let’s not forget that. According to CAN TODAY, the International Energy Agency said that a single chatgpt request submitted by a user requires 10 times the quantity of electricity as Google – 2.9 Wattheures (WH) Research compared to 0.3 WH.
Although you can attract short -term attention, there is a persistent risk that your brand can be considered as simply getting on the wave, losing its authenticity in the process. The question remains, does a trend speak of your values and your essence as a brand?
Commitment rules
So what is the right way to get involved with a craze on the internet? It is important to keep in mind that participation should be attentive and with consent. Jumping into a frenzy of social media without a clear strategy could dilute the identity of a brand.
This can go against your ESG goals or your sustainability objectives, if the energy saving is one of them. It is important to ask the right questions: does this trend align with the values of my brand? Does it bring out the best of the essence of my brand? Is there room for my brand to add a unique touch to this trend, which makes it a natural adjustment for our message?
Look at brands like Burberry, which has shown an intelligent understanding of how to incorporate trendy moments in a biological way. Instead of following each new momentum, Burberry’s approach has always been selective and strategic. The company has long granted priority to remain faithful to its main identity – luxury, crafts and British heritage – while adopting innovation.
Short -term impact
Although the instantaneous gratuity of the following trends cannot be refused, it should be remembered that the impact of such a commitment is often ephemeral. A campaign built around a single social media phenomenon can quickly fade from public attention.
For example, when fashion labels jumped aboard the “Pepsico Tiktok Dance” challenge in 2024, they drew significant attention. But as Tiktok’s trends have evolved, the relevance of this moment did it too. Brands that have aligned themselves too closely on transient movements are often left with little to show beyond an increase in short -term metrics – I like, share and mentions.
This does not mean that there is no value to be part of a forest fire on the Internet, but brands must be prepared with an inevitable decline in attention. If the commitment is superficial and disconnected from the brand’s basic messaging, the results can be unfavorable and measure them become a challenge.
The danger of trendy dilution
The pursuit of constant relevance in the digital scene of today can also lead to the dilution of the brand. Again, when companies are align too often with FADS, they may blur their brand identity. This can cause confusion among customers who expect a coherent voice, a mission and a clear set of values.
Companies must protect themselves against the dilution of trends, ensuring that their involvement in viral moments complete their main brand identity. I recently published on the disappearance of the rapid growth brand in the Bi’Laban region because of its emphasis on virality and not fundamental brand foundations that call for compliance and health and safety management. The public agreed, I had more than 40,000 reactions to the position, all passionate marketing specialists.
Coherence and brand values
It is essential that brand messaging remains consistent, even when experimenting with new strategies. When a brand communicates and systematically acts on its fundamental values - whether quality, ethics, transparency, sustainability or customer origin – its audience learns to trust and believe in the brand.
This is particularly true in the Middle East, a young and budding region which is completely ready to explore and experiment. Globally, companies and Patagonia have systematically priority of environmental sustainability, and their brand identity is intrinsically linked to their commitment to preserve the planet. This level of coherence has built a faithful audience for them, and their audience knows what the company represents.
Long -term brand building
Although the trend of trends can offer a rapid visibility burst, brand creation requires a long -term strategy. The priority is to feed relationships with your audience, create significant connections and keep the promises of your label.
Building a brand that lasts means focusing on fundamental principles – understanding of your audience, offering coherent value and remaining faithful to your main mission. For example, Apple has remained one of the most precious brands in the world for decades, because it has always provided quality products, innovative solutions and transparent user experience – no matter what the last direction could be.
While the enthusiasm of AI trends will only accelerate, that there is a health control of the brand before being attracted with viral moments. These can be with you by going up, but they will not be there for you going down.
By Marwa KaabourMarketing and corporate communication group manager, Al Masaood