Strategic Downgrading

Trend Longevity Rating

How this trend held up

Since first writing about this trend, it has taken on a life of its own across the Internet. Consumers continue to seek simplicity, choose retro products, and reject excessive options.

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.

Where It Led

This trend evolved into a megatrend.

In 2020, Strategic Downgrading was identified as one of the past trends that evolved into the megatrend Revivalism: Overwhelmed by technology and a sense that life is now too complex and shallow, people seek out simpler experiences that offer a sense of nostalgia and remind them of a more trustworthy time.