What is ✨demure✨ teaching us about our ever-changing culture

Unless you live under a rock you must have heard the word demure at least a couple of times in the past month. It rose to popularity along with the very demure trend but just as quickly became… well annoying. I was asking myself how did we come to this? How can you and I, as marketers navigate the wild waters of the internet if the tides change faster than they form? And what the heck does demure even mean?! I’ve put on my research goggles and went down the rabbit hole. Let me take you on a quick journey called ‘trends lifecycle.’

Trends come and go. It’s a natural circle of life. It has been this way since the beginning. It started with fashion movements in the 20th century and advanced through every aspect of our lives. But the more and more we move forward in the digital and information age, the more these circles or trends lifetimes, if you want to call it that, seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Today, trends emerge, peak, and fade at unprecedented speeds. They are driven by the constant demand for something new in a digital culture. And the “very demure” trend serves as a perfect example of that.

The “demure” trend started on TikTok, with an influencer Jools Lebron. The original video consists of Jools describing how she does her makeup for work - “very demure, very mindful.” and has to date accumulated a whopping 51,1 million views and 4.1 million likes. It quickly gained momentum as users embraced its ironic take on traditional feminine modesty. Initially, it skyrocketed in popularity. But it did it so fast that people were already sick of it before it even fully took off. As more and more users jumped on the bandwagon, the novelty and humour of the gesture started to wear thin.

But what exactly does it mean? I’m glad you asked. You, me and millions of people are asking the same. The word demure originates from the old French demoure and was mostly used in the 19th century, meaning ‘sober, serious, reserved’. But just as everywhere else, trends change and from the 2000s forward the word is again gaining popularity. Now it means: “reserved, modest, and shy (typically used of a woman).” as the Oxford Dictionary defines it.

Interest in the word demure on Google over time shows perfectly how quickly a trend rose and faded out again.

“They are gone just as fast as they come.”

It’s generally understood that the faster a trend rises to popularity the faster it crashes, and demure became popular almost overnight. They’re gone just as fast as they come. Which makes it particularly difficult for marketers and brands to stay relevant and on top of trends. They can post a trend-related post a day too late and it can already be labelled cringe-worthy by the community. 

That’s why it’s important to ‘read the room’ and identify in which stage of life the current trend is. This minimises the possibility of jumping on a declined or dying trend and appearing slow and out of touch.

5 stages of trend lifecycle

The trend life cycle typically consists of five stages: emergence, growth, peak, decline, and dying. Each stage reflects how trends spread, gain momentum, saturate the market, and eventually fade out. By recognizing these phases, marketers can strategically engage with trends at the right time to maximize impact and avoid overexposure.

1. Emergence: A trend begins in niche communities, often fueled by influencers, subcultures, or creative experimentation. Early adopters— people who are quick to try new things— embrace the trend, bringing it to a broader audience.

   
   

2. Growth: As more people engage, the trend begins to catch the attention of the mainstream media, influencers, and brands. Social media platforms especially TikTok, Instagram, and X amplify the trend, helping it reach critical mass.

   
   

3. Peak: At this stage, the trend has reached widespread popularity and has become a dominant part of cultural conversations. It is seen across social media, embraced by celebrities, and commercialized by brands. This is the height of the trend’s relevance.

   
   

4. Decline: As the trend becomes oversaturated, people grow tired of it. Memes or parodies might emerge that mock the trend, signalling its decline. Some may start to view the trend as passé or cringe, causing its influence to fade.

   
   

5. Dying: The trend fades from popular culture as attention shifts to newer trends. It may still exist in niche communities (or on Linkedin) or have a brief resurgence in the future, but its mainstream influence diminishes.

Factors contributing to the trend's decline or why some trends die faster than others.

Critically factor that determines the speed of a trend dying is how quickly the trends become oversaturated. If a trend is simple to mimic and apply to different situations, as the demure trend was for example, then it even quicker becomes oversaturated. The trend's overuse led to a sense of fatigue among users, and many began to find it repetitive and cringeworthy. Or putting simply when people see the same thing for the 50th time they get tired of it. Common sense.

Other factors include:

2. Shifting Attention: TikTok’s culture thrives on constant novelty, and as new trends emerge, attention shifts away from one trend to another. This was specifically noticeable with the brat summer trend that faced rapid death as soon as demure took off even though before that there was no sign of its decline. The rapid pace at which content is produced means attention shifts even quicker and it shortens trends lifespan as users move on to fresher ideas.

3. Parody and Backlash: In the demure trend it was very obvious how the trend reached its peak, many users began mocking it or labelling it as cringe. Parodies, particularly on TikTok, often mark the decline of a trend’s cool factor, and demure became a target for jokes and criticisms of its seemingly outdated notions of femininity.

4. Cultural Relevance: Initially, the demure trend’s ironic take on traditional femininity resonated with users. However, as individuals started sharing their own opinions on the trends deeper meaning of societal conversations shifted, particularly around inclusivity and gender expression. Some found the trend regressive or problematic which contributed to the public shift away from it and as a result its decline in relevance.

5. Commercialization: Ironically as soon as brands start participating in the trend ‘game’ general public loses interest in it. Once brands began adopting the demure aesthetic in a more commercialized way, it lost the authentic, tongue-in-cheek quality that made it appealing. Seeing brands participate in trends seems forced since everyone is well aware of the motivation behind it. - marketing their business. And when trends feel forced or overly commercialized, they often lose their initial charm, as it happened with demure. As a consequence jumping on a trend can do more harm than good to the brand, raising negative feelings and PR around the brand. 

Does this mean brands should stay away from trends? Absolutely not! Staying in touch with current events, trends and society ‘rules’ is a crucial part of keeping the brand relevant and in the social conversation. But as even the dead probably know by now you should prioritize being authentic, adaptable and acting fast. Cultural shifts happen faster you can say ‘trend’ and closely monitoring it is the rule number one in the book “How to not get cancelled in 2024”. 

Hopefully, this new knowledge of trend lifecycle can help you in recognising when a trend is gaining traction and when it starts to decline. That way you can effectively leverage viral moments without risking overexposure or appearing disconnected. Good luck out there fellow sailors!