According to innovation marketing, trends are the first manifestation of new products or services which satisfy existence or latent customer needs.

Trend management regards trends comprehensively it is more than finding out next summer's color or a futuristic prognosis without relation to the present. Trend management supplements the task of trend detection and adjustment by translating the trends into the innovation process and by extrapolating their aspects of integration.

Especially important factors are:

• creation of an acceptable atmosphere for engaging the future
• the building of a trend understanding and identifying adequate resources
• conversion of the trend realization to innovative business models and products
• quantifying the success potential of trend supported business models