ABOUT

Our aim was to take what we do one step further, by not just publishing trends but actually sharing our methodology itself. That is, to allow ANYONE to become a trend spotter. In our first book as a collective of authors, we wanted to create a book that was highly visual in terms of its design and acted as a practical guide that could stand the test of time. Ultimately, Trend-Driven Innovation seeks to give businesses and entrepreneurs alike the tools to navigate the hyper-competitive landscape, understand, spot, act upon and anticipate trends in order to drive future business growth and success.

The visual elements of the book are an integral part of the reader’s journey. The book was designed by Isabel Reyes, who meticulously strived to create something that would stand out against other books in the business category. The concept behind the book’s format was to set it apart from classic educational, word-heavy and soulless business books. We wanted to create something with an actionable feel and easy to digest. The illustrated style of book was chosen to visually portray the abstract relationship between businesses and trends. The illustrations play a great role in telling the book’s story. Every single character is built out of polygons and created in stroke format to evoke the action of sketching. They portray no facial expression to allow focus to be directed back to the text. Each chapter has its own character, which serves as a guide for the reader, to bring to life the book’s methodology in an engaging way.

The choice of the square format was done in order to make the design of the book easier to manipulate. The grid system in the book is consistent throughout, made out of three vertical columns and two horizontal rows, allowing a balance between text and blank space. A big limitation while working on the design was choosing only one tint, which we turned into our advantage by making this part of the book’s overall identity.

The typography chosen, Avenir, mirrors the geometrical structure within the book. The font is rare in the fact that it uses perfect circles, such as in the case of the letter ‘o’ - allowing for a friendly and approachable personality. This is contrasted with condensed style in Trade Gothic, to give sharpness and bring a seriousness back to the content. The overall concept of the book’s design was done in tandem with the writing process - helping to create what we believe to be a perfect balance between content and design.

The book was written by four senior members of the TrendWatching team: Henry Mason, Henry Mason, David Mattin, Maxwell Luthy and Delia Dumitrescu, and designed by Isabel and her assistant Daniel Barcza. A highly ambitious bunch, they were able to work across 3 different time zones to plan, write and edit the book in just four months.

The official launch of the book began in January 2016 and a week long series of launch events are right around the corner - including a worldwide virtual launch series and two physical launch parties in London and New York. Within a week of introducing the book to the TrendWathcing community, the book was ranking on Amazon (UK) and Amazon as a bestseller and purchased alongside titles such as Value Proposition Design and Business Model Generation.

“As an entrepreneur, you intuitively ‘get’ the trend you’re riding. But as you scale you need to understand how to deal with the next wave of trends too. Trend-Driven Innovation is a practical guide that we’re using to do just that.”

Cassandra Stavrou — Founder, Propercorn

“A book to keep on the desk at all times; a constant reminder that trends are all around us, and a guide to inspiring fresh thinking and realizing your own innovative future.”

Mark Haviland — Managing Director, Rakuten Marketing Europe

“Some of the smartest thinking about the swiftest way to get the answers to what drives consumers in the hypercompetitive, hyperconnected era where the customer isn’t just always right, they are ahead of the commercial producer almost every time.”

Julia Hobsbawm — Founder, Editorial Intelligence and Honorary Visiting Professor in Networking, Cass Business School, London