From human-sized dog beds to brain stimulating games as simple as tic-tac-toe or as complex as Yeardle: Join us as we delve into the stories behind 10 exciting trends in this month’s issue of TrendWatch!
XL Bully
The American Bully is a modern breed of dog that was developed as a companion dog, and originally standardised and recognised as a breed in 2004 by the American Bully Kennel Club. As they are a relatively new breed, their risk of biting hasn’t been scientifically studied. Standing up to 50cm tall, and weighing as much as 60kg, they certainly attract attention.
In 1991 the Dangerous Dogs Act was introduced in the UK after six-year-old Rucksana Khan was badly injured and a number of other dog attacks were raised in parliament. An attack of an 11-year girl also sparked the ban of the XL Bully.
The debate around banning dogs is a long one, how much of it is nature versus nurture? Or are certain breeds bred to be more aggressive? The Guardian discusses the Bully ban and the larger debate on dog bans here.
Cadbury Secret Santa
Cadbury put “Search Cadbury Secret Santa” in their ad and boy did it pay off! Cadbury ran a campaign where you could mail chocolate to anyone, secretly! Like a secret Santa. They placed posters around the UK and people loved it! Interesting to see a campaign directly asking people to search, usually you’d assume that it would be too high of a barrier for participation, but clearly, free chocolate can overcome any hurdle!
Samsung Galaxy S23
Never underestimate the power of a big sale. It seemed strange to me that the Samsung Galaxy S23 would not have a surge in interest greater than when it initially launched. Interest in the smartphone increases, when the usual profile flattens off or decreases in interest.
In the Fall of 2023, Samsung offered up a big sale on its lineup 50% off and a hefty trade-in credit. Ad campaigns were run across social media promoting this sale as well, not just in the UK but globally.
Usually, smartphones decline in interest as the next model is about to be announced, which happened with the S24’s launch in Jan of 2024. In a market like the UK where Samsung accounts for approximately 30% of smartphone sales and Apple 50%, it’s good to see the UK’s number 2 smartphone brand increase interest. Especially since the quality of their handsets over the last few years has gotten much better.
