First Coined In 2014
Branded Utility
Brands begin to focus on a combination of content marketing and a greater integration between marketing and operations to provide value through usefulness in customer's lives.
This trend was curated in the 2014 and 2016 editions of the Non-Obvious Trend Report.
Trend Longevity Rating
A
Graded A in 2026 ·
an exceptional prediction that grew more true over time
an exceptional prediction that grew more true over time
How this trend held up
As content marketing continues to grow, brands increasingly find new ways to provide value, answer questions, and use marketing as a tool for education rather than purely for promotion.
Every past trend prediction is re-reviewed and graded with a Trend Longevity Rating, measuring how much each originally curated trend still matters years later.
