What shapes the way successful people think, create and make decisions? O.agency's Original Thinking podcast brings together founders, creatives and business leaders for conversations about their careers and the lessons they've picked up along the way
In the latest episode, O.agency Founder Kari Owers talks to Joanna Feeley, Founder of TrendBible, about trend forecasting, innovation and why brands need to understand where people, culture and behaviour are heading next.
Joanna began her career in fashion design before discovering trend forecasting, which aligned with her curiosity and need to understand consumer behaviour. Since then, she has built a career helping brands make sense of change and make better decisions about where things are heading.
Would you describe yourself as an original thinker?
Originality is almost like a core value for me. I’ve always felt that if something is worth doing, it deserves a distinctive viewpoint. In trend forecasting, you’re seeking the new all the time, so originality and trends sit closely together. When I was writing my book, a big part of the process was asking whether I had anything different to say and what made my perspective unique.
How can brands use trends without all ending up in the same place?
It’s often assumed that my job is to make sure as many people as possible do the same thing, but that’s not how I see it. Trend forecasting is about helping brands understand what the future landscape might look like, then work towards that horizon in a way only they can. It has to encapsulate their beliefs, values and vision.
That’s especially important where products are hard to differentiate. It’s never just about selling something cheaper than the brand down the road – you have to speak to your customer in a way that feels distinctive.
Why is looking backwards not always the safe option?
When there is nervousness or fear, some businesses look to the past and say, “we know we sold this last year, so we’ll do the same again.” Directional businesses know it isn’t necessarily safer to base decisions on the past than it is to imagine a better future and work towards it. The best brands stake their claim and say, this is where we’re headed.
What kind of culture does innovation need?
If you want to innovate, you have to create a culture where mistakes are accepted as part of the process. When you move towards change, it won’t be perfect and you shouldn’t punish teams every time something doesn’t work, otherwise fear wins.
It comes back to vision, mission and values. How do you want people to behave in order to move towards the future you are trying to create?
How do you see AI affecting trend forecasting?
AI creates opportunities around efficiency, but we don’t use it to forecast trends. You can ask it to extrapolate from what has happened in the past, but that isn’t the best route to originality or the best way to forecast.
One example I saw was an AI tool being used to design a kettle for 2028 based on the top-selling kettles available now. As soon as I looked at it, I knew the colour and the shape were both wrong. What that kettle should look like comes from broader product design, home décor, materials, colour, culture and how people are going to live. That’s where human judgement still matters.
What advice would you give to young creatives starting out now?
It is tricky because there is such a big narrative around AI and the future of creative jobs, but we have to find a balance between technology and the originality of our own thinking. If I were interviewing a student or intern, I’d want to know their unique perspective on the world. I wouldn’t want AI to be the source of their thinking.
To hear the whole conversation, head to O.agency’s Original Thinking podcast on Spotify or via www.o.agency/news