Fad Products and Brands:

How to Identify and

Market Them

Ron Newman #1792994

December 14, 2005

FIU - MMC 6635

Ron Newman #1792994

Introduction

On the opening of school in the Fall of 1986 many students wore the new clothes that

their parents traditionally buy for the upcoming year. Almost universally, all of the

middle school boys were wearing a pair of “acid wash” denim jeans, myself included.

But the appeal of acid wash jeans did not last past Spring break. Why did acid wash

jeans fall out of favor so quickly? Did the acid wash technique make the jeans an inferior

quality to standard denim? No, acid wash jeans were simply a fad product that

experienced tremendous momentum and fell out of favor just as quickly. My research

paper will discuss the mysteries behind fads, how to identify them, why consumers

purchase fad products, and how to best market them.

Why Understanding Fads is Important for Brand Marketing

As Don Schultz states in his book Brand Babble, “Brands, not fads create ongoing

success.” Brands survive because customers buy into them. Brand marketers must

examine the underlying business model behind a company or product. If it is sound,

branding is possible, if it is merely a short-term fad, all the money in the world won’t turn

it into a lasting success. “One of the toughest jobs in branding is to know when a product

or service deserves the time and effort needed to build a brand and when the concept is

merely a flash-in-the-pan” (Schultz p.31-35).

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An Overview of the Literature

The Definitions of a Fad

Lets start with an overview of how the experts of marketing research define fads. Most

marketing literature treats fads in low regard. The notion is that marketers should seek

durable long-term opportunities and pursue more sustainable markets. Nevertheless,

some of the most impressive marketing success stories involve fad developments (Lilly &

Nelson).

Kotler and Armstrong (1994) define fads as developments that enter quickly, are adopted

with great zeal, peak early, and decline very fast. They last only a short time and tend to

attract only a limited following. Fads often have a novel or quirky nature. Fads appeal to

people who are looking for excitement, a way to set themselves apart, or something to

talk about with others. Fads do not survive long because they normally do not satisfy a

strong need in the market.

Perreault and McCarthy (1999) define fads as an idea that is fashionable only to certain

groups who are enthusiastic about it. The short-term nature of fads is because consumers

who buy fads are fickle.

Looking at fads from a completely different aspect, Lilly and Nelson (2003)

conceptualize fads as a temporary state of unusually high sales, driven by consumer

enthusiasm and a desire among consumers to purchase a product or brand largely because

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of its immediate popularity. Thus a product may not be a fad, but the fad is a state of

sales for that brand or product category. This behavioral based theory better describes

wild demand and sales spikes for existing products like skateboards, bellbottom jeans,

hushpuppy shoes, and the Ouija board.

Fads are and affront to the modern marketing system, it is the absolute antithesis of

analysis planning, implementation, and control. Fads seem to erupt spontaneously and

quickly disappear over the horizon. At best, fads are an example of word-of-mouth

marketing, and at worst a mutant form of the product life cycle (Brown).

Fads are products with extremely short life cycles – a sudden, explosive rise in consumer

interest, followed by a “hot” period and an abrupt decline. Most fads that take off, if not

completely useless, have utility as a small part of their appeal. They are fun at first, a

statement of something second, and useful third. A fad isn’t an innovation, and it usually

doesn’t change throughout its short life. The first pet rock purchased is the same as the

last one sold (Hakuta).

Separating Fads from Trends

With a better understanding of fads, we can now attempt to identify and separate short-

term fads from long lasting trends. Figuring out what is a trend and what is simply a

passing fad is one of the hardest things to do in marketing. A fad looks very much like a

trend when it gets started. Marketers always want to know whether a development is

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going to be a fad or a trend. They want to cash in on trends, but avoid getting burned by

fads.

Early identification of trends gives business planners time to develop an appropriate

product and gives marketing more time for positioning strategies and effective

advertising. Conversely, companies that miss the emergence of an important trend or

erroneously consider it a passing fad are left to play catch up in the market. A prime

example of misjudging a trend is American car manufacturers ignoring the need for more

fuel-efficient cars in the early 1980’s. The lack of insight cost them substantial market

share to Japanese brands. Just as important is the opportunity in spotting fads.

Companies can make a lot of money by moving quickly to ride the fads and get out of the

market when the crest is reached. Timing is the key issue in the marketing of fads

(Letscher).

A way to separate fads from trends is finding out whether the concept serves an

identifiable need in the marketplace. The hardest part, and the key, is identifying the

needs, separating them from whims and knowing whether the product really satisfies

them (Neff).

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A series of questions (Letscher 1990) were created to answer whether a development is

the start of a new trend or a fad that will not last:

Is the new development consistent with the market’s basic value and lifestyle

trends? If the new development clashes with the habits and values of the

consumer then it will not be continued for long.

Other questions pertain to the satisfaction associated with the new development.

Do consumers truly feel good about the new product or routine?

How immediate and how strong was their satisfaction to the change?

Were they initially reluctant to embrace the development?

Changes that have far off future effects, or require significant trade-offs, are more likely

to be short-lived fads. Diet crazes, like the Atkins diet, are excellent examples of these

types of fads.

A new development has a greater chance of long-term impact if it can meet the needs of

different groups of people. Fads, such as the Mohawk hairstyle, are inflexible and are not

suitable for most social situations. Trends are more flexible and appeal to a wider

audience. A good marketer will take the benefits associated with the extreme practice of

a “fringe” group and modify them to increase the appeal of the average consumer. While

it is important to identify the lead group, it is more important to look for support of the

development from unexpected sources. We can attach a greater significance to a

development and perhaps consider it a trend if we identify a change in behavior from an

unexpected source (Letscher).

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Trends can originate anywhere, from the edge to the mainstream. Marketers should look

for cross-culture connections that support a new development and may indicate an

emerging trend. Is the mainstream “ready” for the development? Will the development

have to evolve to accommodate the mainstream? Fine-tuning the development to appeal

to a wider audience will give it a greater chance for long-term acceptance and may turn it

into a lasting trend. A trend has a solid foundation that supports its growth; a fad does

not. Attributes of trends are lifestyle, technology, values, and demographics. Attributes

of a fad are pop culture, fashion, “The Trendy Crowd” and media (Zandl).

Marketers must also analyze where the mainstream is today and determine how much the

mainstream will have to change to adopt the new development. The adjustment process

can take five years or more before the mainstream is “ready”. It is just as risky to be

ahead of the curve of an emerging trend as it is to be behind it. Pepsi cola’s Josta, a soft

drink containing Guarana (an herb believed to increase energy), failed when it was

introduced in the late 1990’s because most Americans were not ready for it. If Pepsi had

held back a few more years, the brand would have had a better chance to succeed because

the mainstream is now familiar and accepting of beverages with Guarana, such as Red

Bull, Rock Star and other energy boosters (Zandl). The iPod is another successful

example of proper timing. Apple was not the first to market digital music players, but the

iPod was launched when the mainstream was familiar and comfortable with downloading

music from the internet. Technology also was in place for the iPod’s success. More

consumers have faster internet connections, making the product accessible to a wider

group.

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The Momentum of Fads

The spread of fads though society could be viewed the same way natural epidemics like

viruses spread though society. A rise in demand is a simple premise of contagious

behavior. When enough people start spreading demand for a development, the rules of

multiplication take over and the development grows in a hurry. This is a key point in

understanding the incredible momentum behind a fad and also why it’s virtually

impossible to stay ahead of it. Like a surfer facing a large wave, marketers must quickly

decide to ride the fad out, or get out of its way until it hits the shore.

Perhaps the stunning growth of some fads has more to do with a group of Connectors,

Salesmen and Mavens who feel the product is worth their time and energy. Connectors

are special people in our society who have a knack for making large numbers of friends

and acquaintances. But more than that, they manage to “connect” these people to each

other. It’s a special social gift, and Connectors often become very influential people in

society. Salesmen are the second group. They are very good at getting other people to

buy into their ideas and opinions. Whether it’s financial securities or their taste in

clothing, Salesmen have the gift of convincing others that their opinions matter. The last

group is Mavens, from a Yiddish word meaning “one who accumulates knowledge”.

Mavens strive to know all there is about something and often share their expertise with

others. If these kinds of people get behind a development, chances are that it will take off

(Gladwell 2000).

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Jane Buckingham has developed a theory behind the formation of trends. “Trends really

start with a group she calls bleeding edgers, people who invent really extreme

development. Right behind them are innovators, the innovators will pick up on an

extreme development and modify it to a lesser degree. A year or so later, a larger clad,

the late bloomers, will follow suit. Eventually, from six months to three years further, the

development finds its way into mainstream culture which means of course it is pretty

much over” (Grigoriadis). That is unless the development has more to offer society, a

true shift in behavior or a real benefit. Then we have a bona-fide trend, not just a passing

fad.

The Psychology Behind Fad Purchases

The importance of understanding fad consumption extends beyond marketing. The

consumption of fad products offers a lens into current societal attitudes (Lilly & Nelson).

Futuristic toys were popular during the space race of the 1960’s and 70’s, and parts of the

Berlin Wall were sold after it was torn down in the 1990’s. Many people become

animated and excited when discussing fad products and purchases, particularly ones from

many years ago. Fads often help define an era, a typical nostalgic comment from a fad

purchaser would go like this, “I remember when I bought one of those Rubik’s Cubes

back in the ‘80’s, everyone had one!”

Generally, consumers don’t have regrets over the purchase of fad items. They do not

believe it was a waste of money, and most feel the item brings back memories, often of

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fun or silly moments in their life. Fads are sometimes purchased as a way for consumers

to connect with others and have experiences to share. People want to experience the

group affinity that goes along with owning a fad item (Lilly & Nelson). Peer influence

often outweighs common sense and is a psychological factor that’s easy to see, but harder

to measure. In evaluating the staying power of Evian bottled water, when young girls

were carrying bottles of Evian water everywhere, almost as social markers, it was easy to

see the strength of peer influence playing a role in creating brand specific demand (Neff).

The Problems and Issues of Fad Marketing

How To Identify Fads Before they Happen

Spotting developments, regardless of being a fad or a trend, is an extremely difficult skill

for marketers and cultural anthropologists alike. If it were easy, there would be more

millionaires in our world and less stories of brand missteps and blunders. There is little

marketing research on the process of trend spotting, perhaps the phenomena is only now

being studied. Technological advances in consumer behavior tracking can only tell us

what is currently happening. As the research states, fads grow extremely quickly, so

once sales data indicates a brand or product category increase, it is probably too late to

capitalize. A smart brand manager should not chase the tail end of short lived fads.

Technology makes identifying a true fad or trend based on attitudinal research more

difficult than before. The growth of the internet connects everyone to everything and the

art of predicting the next big trend is more complicated. Today, developments ping

across continents and disappear so quickly that even the notion of “cool” has become

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passé. The “trendy crowd” from big cities and bored teenagers worldwide have blogs or

inundate chat rooms and message boards with their opinions of the moment’s hot

restaurants, hobbies and handbags (Piccalo). So even though our ability to predict crazes

is improving, they still often catch marketers completely off guard.

The Coolhunters

Cool hunting is a term coined by best selling author and columnist, Malcolm Gladwell in

an article for the New Yorker, back in March of 1997. The article was so popular (it is

optioned to become a movie), and its marketing messages so influential, that it spawned a

new industry of market research. Cool hunting and coolhunters are trend spotters and

forecasters who are paid to know what is cool now, what’s going to be cool tomorrow

and what is already over.

“The only job requirement for cool hunting is having a curious nature,” says DeeDee

Gordon, who was featured in Gladwell’s article and is now president of Look-Look Inc.

Coolhunters are boots on the ground researchers, staking out young people hotspots like

skate parks, shopping malls, inner city basketball courts, rave clubs and convenience

stores. But they do more than observe the young trendsetters; they interact and interview

them to find out how they really feel. They do this worldwide, many of America’s cues

and hottest new developments come from other cities and cultures, like Tokyo, London,

Berlin and Prague.

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Coolhunters are also intense researchers, mining blogs, web boards, and chat rooms for

information. They also study hundreds of teenage, urban, and special interest magazines;

even ones they cannot read, from places like Italy and Japan. The pictures in these

magazines are worth a thousand interviews (Grigoriadis).

Problems Associated with Coolhunting Research

How can the effectiveness of trend forecasting be measured when the line between a

genuine societal trend and one manufactured by media and advertising is blurred? Only

after the craze has ended do most marketers and the public realize the trappings of a fad.

I believe the very act of trying to spot or “hunting” fleeting tastes underlies the problem

marketer’s face, even when they predict correctly. Most successful companies in it for

the long term know it is not profitable or good brand strategy to chase every fad. If

companies go “hunting” for developments that could barely last a few months, what good

would it get them?

For a short time, coolhunting consultants were considered the savior for any faltering

campaign. When the economy weakened after September 11, 2001, marketing budgets

were trimmed and many coolhunters were out of business. The prevailing view today is

that coolhunters are nothing more than expensive soothsayers, bringing the illusion of

control to a 250 billion dollar ad industry, wrought with a fragmented audience and

uncertainty.

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A New Breed of Trend Forecasters – The Futurists

The very act of marketing can be considered a fad business. Consumers become more

jaded towards advertising and more savvy in deciphering the messages behind it. To stay

ahead of the public, marketing strategies must constantly reinvent themselves. The

effective way to reach consumers today will inevitably be replaced by a new method in

the future. Likewise, coolhunters reinvented themselves and refined their methods.

Successful trend forecasters are repositioning themselves as more than just arbiters of

taste. It is no longer enough to identify trends and fads, the real money and prestige are

now bestowed on those who can understand the whys underlying these developments. So

former coolhunters now prefer to be called trend forecasters, planners, or futurists. They

compare their work to cultural anthropology. The successful ones back up their

predictions with hard data. The new specialty of futurists lies in interpreting the broad

societal movements that go beyond flash fancies (fads) and reveal new marketing

opportunities (trends). Some insiders believe that in the future, every ad executive will

be a futurist (Piccalo). Probably not, but the most popular futurists currently make a lot

of money.

Some of the most successful trend forecasters include Irma Zandl of the New York based,

Zandl Group. Zandl is known for her bi-monthly Hot Sheet, a trend-spotting guide that

sells for over $18,000 a year. Faith Popcorn is another well respected forecaster who

rose to fame in the mid 1980’s by identifying and labeling the trend Cocooning - the

notion that staying at home with your friends, your television, and your takeout food will

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usurp the popularity of going out. Faith Popcorn has been in the business the longest,

forming the company Brain Reserve in 1974. Jane Buckingham, president and founder

of the What They Do Intelligence Group is one of the most visible forecasters. She has a

show on the Style Network and is a regular guest on Good Morning America.

The Dangers of Entering Fad Markets

The desire to pursue a fad is often fuelled by a get rich quick mentality, but for every

success story (hula hoop) there are dozens of disasters (Zima, pets.com, Tulip Investing).

A fad can be an effective platform for promotions or advertising when the commitment

and financial exposure are limited. But a fad should not be the foundation for a

companies brand positioning; a fad will be over before the corporation can recoup its

investment (Zandl). “Hot Sheets”, often sold for $20,000 and state what’s hot and what’s

not, underlie the very dangers of marketing a fad. Intelligent brand marketers want to

associate their brands with lasting long-term trends, not fads that will land on the “not

hot” list in next month’s report.

Dangers aside, the rise in disposable income is making it easier to market fad products;

consumers now want and can afford to spend money on the latest thing. Savvy

businessmen are not the type to leave money on the table, so this trend creates

opportunities for entrepreneurs. Small companies are typically best suited to handle the

fad market. Being able to quickly enter and exit markets is not usually a strength of large

companies with extensive chains of command and many departments involved in the

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decision making and operational process (Lilly & Nelson). As consumers become more

fickle, marketers have to learn to get products out there fast and change them quickly.

Implications

To this point, we have defined what constitutes a fad and distinguished them from lasting

trends. We have explored their phenomenal growth model and the psychology behind

fads. We have also examined the art of trend forecasting and the dangers companies face

when selling fads. Now we will discuss how to successfully market fads and analyze

some current examples in the marketplace.

How to Effectively Market Fad Products

Firms must determine if the development is a fad or a trend before deciding on the proper

marketing strategy. Is the correct strategy to milk the development for what it’s worth

(short-term sales) or use a build strategy (long-term brand building) because the

development will be big in the long run? (Rigby) When corporations realize the

development they have is merely a fad, there are still methods to effectively market it and

make substantial revenues in the process. One entrepreneur who has made a fortune

marketing a fad product is the self-proclaimed godfather of the industry; he goes by the

moniker Dr. Fad.

Dr. Fad

Ken Hakuta, known as Dr. Fad is a graduate of the Harvard School of Business, and he

knows how to make gold out of silly ideas. Hakuta secured the US marketing rights to

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sell Wacky WallWalkers, a sticky glob of plastic shaped like an octopus. When thrown

against a wall, they stick and slowly slither down to the floor. Dr. Fad sold 150 million

Wacky WallWalkers in the US at approximately $1.50 each in a span of just three years

(Edmondson). I remember receiving one as a sales promotional toy inside a kid’s

breakfast cereal when I was ten. It entertained me for seven days before I lost interest in

watching it somersault down the mirror, to the relief of my mother who had to clean up

its greasy streaks.

Wacky WallWaker

Hakuta now devotes his time and efforts to studying fads. Hakuta also provides fad

marketing advice through a toll-free number, which receives 3,600 calls monthly. Some

of Dr. Fad’s wisdom includes these insights. “If you look at fads that have been a

runaway success, the mood ring, the slinky, silly putty and the pet rock, you will see that

a true fad has little utility beyond its entertainment value. That doesn’t mean you can

come up with a useless item and wait for the world to beat a path to your door. This is

where creative marketing comes in. If you come up with something that’s useless and

promote it the right way, everybody will have to have it, even though they get up the next

morning anf wonder why they bought it” (Hakuta). Case in point, the Singing Bass.

Mounted Singing Bass

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Using The Media and Short Supply to Create Demand

One of the biggest promoters of a craze is the media. They often toute the novelty of the

development and when shortages arise, the media publicizes it, whipping up further

demand for the craze (Rigby). Scarcity, especially in the first days of a product’s release

can amplify its success by generating buzz. “For the XBox, it would have been terrible to

have that thing in stock. It would have been a marketing disaster. Shortages create a

whole mystique of desirability”, notes Peter Sealy, an adjunct professor at the Haas

School of Business, at the University of California, Berkeley (Wingfield & Guth). The

must-have mentality is especially evident in the toy market during the Christmas season.

Because of the media, Hot Sheets have found their way onto Santa’s List. Having to

procure the media proclaimed “hot” toy before December 25th is the craze in this

instance. It is the herd mentality and the prompting by the media, telling us we need this

product for our children or the holidays are ruined. This has become an important

marketing tool and is now part of our holiday tradition.

Disney’s Buzz Lightyear toy is an example of the media’s role in fueling a product’s

success. It was widely decided by forecasters that Buzz Lightyear would be the must-

have item for Christmas of 1996. The media’s announcement drove demand, and reports

of shortages were widespread. Media coverage fuelled the craze and some Buzz

Lightyear dolls were being sold at many times the original value. Of course, stories of

price gouging by private sellers and unscrupulous retailers generated news, thus fanning

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the flames even further (Rigby). The question must be pondered, when did demand

generate, before or after the media told consumers their children will want this product?

The Importance of Timing

To reduce the chance of missteps, companies must assess the product’s longevity while

its still in the development stage. A company does not want to scale up production

before finding out the product is a fad and see the demand curve drop off quickly. This

would leave the company with excess capacity or worse, a new plant producing unwanted

product. Additionally, they shouldn’t be seduced into entering a fad market third or

fourth, no matter how good their ideas or improvements are. If they are a late entry into

the fad market, it’s most likely the company will not recoup its investment (Rigby).

Segmenting the Fad Buying Public

In their paper “Fads: Segmenting the Fad-Buyer Market” (2003), Brian Lilly and Tammy

Nelson dissect the fad buying market in seven segments:

1. Enablers – those who purchase fad products for others, typically parents of young

children

2. Belongers – purchase fads for themselves to experience the group affinity

3. Status Conscious – purchase fads for the status appearance. The purchase may be

seen as a way to set themselves apart

4. Nonchalants – buy fads because of a genuine interest in product rather than

marketplace and social hype

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5. Current Eventer – purchase for nostalgias sake, to have memorabilia of

meaningful events. These items would include Superbowl team apparel or Space

Shuttle Challenger memorial items

6. Hobbyists – people who initially purchase product in the fad stage but continue to

use and purchase product after demand subsides

7. Speculators – purchase fad items with the motivation to resell the items at a

higher price for profit

Lilly and Nelson suggest marketing based on the seven segments. Hobbyists seem

willing to buy fads even when they are viewed as expensive. Current Eventers strongly

feel that fads bring back memories, so marketers should advertise the relevance of the

event. Marketing tactics to the Status Conscious segment should employ emotional

advertising on the status appeal of the fad. Belongers should be targeted based on the

wide demand for the fad and the joy of being part of the crowd.

Real World Examples of Fad Marketing

Large Corporations Play the Fad Game

Industry experts like Ken Hakuta believe that much of the marketing being done today by

large corporations is simply fad marketing. In today’s marketplace, loyalty to one brand

is rare, and few consumers want to buy what everyone is buying (Hakuta). Fortune 500

companies are constantly adding new features (fads) to proven products. The disposable

razor market has become a never-ending fad and gimmick race. Some fad features

include aloe strips, two blades up to five blades, and power vibration, available in neon

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green or metallic red turbo. In the end it’s still just a razor blade scraping against a man’s

face.

Gillette Mach3 Turbo – Champion Edition

An Example of Fads in the Supermarket Aisle

To try and gain an advantage on the crowded shelves of supermarkets, Oreo cookies are

sold with seasonal colored crème filling, red during Valentines Day, pastels during

springtime and Easter, and orange during Autumn. They also market vanilla cookies

with chocolate crème, all vanilla, all chocolate, and ones with mint flavor. Does the

Oreo’s brand really need to invent so many flavor and color options? This is simply

more fad marketing, attempting to generate business building. Eventually the public will

grow tired of these changes, as they bring no lasting value to the cookie.

Golden Uh-Oh Reverse Oreos

David Often Beats Goliath in Fad Marketing

Give these companies credit for attempting to cater to the consumer, even if they are only

chasing fads. Many large companies fall behind smaller more flexible competitors when

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tastes in the market change. An example of a large, established company losing to a

quicker one is Timex and Swatch. In the 1980’s Swatch stole Timex’s market share just

by understanding the change in the public’s perception of a watch. Swatch made watches

fun, inexpensive and fashion conscious, which went against the prevailing idea that

watches were either expensive and serious status symbols like the Rolex brand, or dull

and cheap items like Timex. The brand perception for Swatch buyers was “I’m

fashionable and I don’t need to spend a lot of money to be that way.” That brand concept

was the main factor for Swatch’s success; the fact that they tell time was just a secondary

issue (Hakuta).

Niche Products

Many products that are thought to be fads survive and prosper as a niche product. Lava

Lamps and Chia Pets are business model phenomenon. Jolt cola, a caffeine laced

product was given a prognosis of six months survival by the conventional wisdom of

analysts, but has found a lasting market because of its image appeal to teenage boys

(Neff). As stated in Lilly and Nelson’s theory of fads, a product can become a fad more

than once, fluctuating between normal sales and intense sales growth. Yoyos are a good

example of this, extremely popular in the 1930’s and again in the 1950’s and yet again in

the late 1990’s. Even lifestyle activities like yoga and religions like Kabbalah are now

tracking like fads, but they existed before the current spike in popularity and will not

disappear when the trendsetters move on.

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Fads With Little Marketing Can Survive On Their Own

Fads sometimes sweep the country with little advertising, no real marketing plan, and no

innovation (Hakuta). Clark’s desert boots were selling at a fairly low level for years.

Then by chance, they had become the footwear of choice for the young “trendy crowd”.

Sales went up 500% overnight. The agency behind Clark’s said the trick was not to be

seen as mass-market advertising. That way they did not turn off the youthful hipsters

who were spearheading the craze, but still carefully managed awareness and kept life in

the cult (Rigby).

Conclusion

Throughout my research, pinpointing fads and knowing which developments will take off

is still unpredictable. Innovative market researchers like the Coolhunters, and cultural

anthropologists are getting us closer to identifying the origins of fads. Understanding

human behavior is arguably the hardest science of all. I certainly believe further research

needs to be conducted on fads and consumer behavior. When more is understood about

people’s purchasing habits, marketers will be better prepared to take advantage of the

tremendous opportunities that arise from fads. It will also help businesses avoid

disastrous mistakes. Overall, the current research shows that it’s the flexible companies

who can win in the fad market, large slow reacting corporations should avoid fad chasing

entirely.

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References

Brown, Stephen. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone / Harry Potter and the…”Journal of Marketing Vol. 66, No. 1 (2002): pp. 126, 5 pgs.

Edmondson, Brad. “Doctor Fad knows marketing.” American Demographics Vol. 9 No. 5 (1987) pp.23, 2 pgs.

Gladwell, Malcolm. “The Coolhunt” The New Yorker 17 Mar. 1997. Section: Annals of Style 12 pgs.

Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. New York: Back Bay Books, 2000.

Grigoriadis, Vanessa.“How to Totally Know What’s Cool” Cosmopolitan Mar. 1999. Youth Inteligence Inc. 2001 <http://www.youthintelligence.com/company/yiarticle_print.asp?yiArticleId=7>

Hakuta, Ken “What IS a Fad? It’s Not a Better Mousetrap.” Dr. Fad.com <http://www.drfad.com/book/what_is_a_fad.htm>

Kotler, P. and G. Armstrong. Principles of Marketing 6th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1994.

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