Coolhunting: what is it, do you know? The term in English refers to the profession of researching trends, that is, what will be considered “cool” in the future.
This marketing term emerged in the 1990s, although it can be used in several other sectors, such as psychology, fashion, and even HR — the market tends to be increasingly concerned with competitiveness, which requires constant innovation.
This article will better explain what it is, how it works, and why your company should adopt this practice as soon as possible. Could you keep reading and check it out?
What Does A Cool Hunter Do?
The cool hunter is the professional who seeks to predict upcoming trends and innovations. Nothing is just by intuition, although it helps a lot with the task. A cool hunter analyzes several factors worldwide, in the market, and in society to arrive at conclusive facts. He also checks why these innovations appeared to understand whether it is a trend or a passing thing.
Contrary to what many people imagine, being a cool hunter is not just being aware of everything but also having curiosity and a critical sense to analyze the present and see what might happen in the future.
This professional must research new ideas, different behaviors, and cultural manifestations. It takes willingness, prior knowledge, and a good capacity for observation. They take pictures, hypothesize and make full reports.
The cool hunter brings all these discoveries to the company, which will analyze cultural trends and transform them into products or implement transformations that may be advantageous.
Making mistakes is not an option, as acting in the cool hunting segment means delivering a mapping with accurate information. For example, he cannot say that a passing viral action, which ends in a year, will be a trend. In addition, the cool hunter must promptly present ways of applying trends in companies, which must be done naturally, without seeming forced.
What Are The Ways A Cool Hunter Acts?
Currently, these issues have been hotly debated, and there are even tools that serve to search for trends, such as Google Trends and Trend watching. Want some more examples of trends that have transformed the market? So, see what the main areas of activity are!
Marketing
The area is one of the first to express the signs and have them adopted by many people. In this area, the professional tries to understand in depth the most interesting and efficient ways for communication to be carried out according to the temporal and geographic context in which the company is inserted.
Food Industry
The signs are also present in food since the food on our table is related to the culture and habits of the population. In this market, one of the main functions is to understand people’s food priorities (sustainability, health, and practicality, for example). Thus, companies can make decisions regarding innovations and changes in the products produced.
Food Market Trends
An example of how the trend can change the direction of companies is the concern with more natural, healthy, and sustainable products. Several famous brands are working to make their products attractive to customers, who are increasingly concerned about these characteristics daily.
It is no wonder several food companies have started manufacturing products with less fat, sodium, calories, and preservatives. In addition, many restaurants specializing in natural and organic foods have also emerged.
Cosmetic Industry
After seeing the other performances, you would assume the cool hunter dictates the next lipstick or blush-related fad on the market. However, the professional goes far beyond that and identifies the points most important to consumers. This information allows companies to create products that align with consumers’ beliefs, values , and customs. The operation is similar to that of the food industry.
Cosmetics Market Trends
Veganism is a lifestyle that impacts much more than the food market. Several cosmetic companies no longer test on animals or put anything of animal origin in their products. They also started to abandon compounds harmful to health, such as petrolatum.
Some companies already sell completely vegan products, and more and more corporations are worrying about this issue to meet the public’s demands.
Technology
Technology is one of the areas where cool hunters are most needed, as it reflects the many changes in society and, at the same time, dictates what will come next. In this way, the sector professional has the responsibility to understand the experiences and needs that were not met and to ensure that companies can improve or create products that can offer solutions to the problems pointed out.
Fashion
The sector was one of the first in which professionals worked and continued to be in great demand. The interest is to understand how clothing has the power of communication and the possibilities for interaction, understanding what the public’s needs still need to be met by the major companies.
Tourist Market
Travel agencies started to use cool hunting to find out the travel trends, what questions tourists search for the most, and how they do their searches. With this information, they can direct promotions, offers, and authentic products.
Also Read: Why Be A Data-Driven Company?
