Strategic Downgrading
As more products and services get upgraded, consumers start rejecting these supposedly improved options and downgrading to simpler, cheaper, and more functional versions.
Trend Longevity Rating
an exceptional prediction that grew more true over time
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.
Explore The Revivalism Megatrend →
