WGSN's TikTok Analytics Platform Sorts Out the Social Media Chaos

WGSN has launched its TikTok Analytics forecasting platform designed to forecast trends worthy of brand investments while sorting out the fast-moving fads that are best skipped. The goal: to make beauty's most impactful platform more manageable for brand marketers and their innovation partners. 

"The pace and sheer amount of trends on TikTok can be overwhelming and this often leads brands to confuse something that is ‘trending’ for a ‘trend,'" says Clare Varga, director of beauty at WGSN. "Because WGSN forecasts trends rather than track them, and can contextualize them within macro trends, we’re able to distinguish between the two and cut out the noise and identify the trends that matter."

Notably, WGSN believes that trends on TikTok aren't as ephemeral and out-of-the-blue as they may seem. Often, they signal a broader movement in the culture.

Varga explains, "The #MobWife aesthetic we highlighted is a great example of this. The mob wife look is trending but is part of a broader trend towards anti-perfectionist and anti clean girl narratives characterized by glamorous statement makeup. We called this ‘messy beauty’ or hangover beauty and it was identified as a top trend for 2024."

Varga continues, "Even seemingly superficial trends like #BroccoliFreckles have underlying drivers. In 2022, WGSN predicted that faux freckles would be trending as a result of changing body-positive beauty narratives and consumers' increasing focus on sun protection due to climate change. Brands that followed WGSN's forecasts would have been ready to respond to this TikTok trend and suggest their products as a more practical broccoli alternative. invest in and the ones to ignore."

WGSN's TikTok Analytics sorts through trends by pairing data analytics with its expert insights and WGSN’s signature STEPIC model, "a process that analyzes changes in society, technology, the environment, politics, industry and creativity to provide forecasts with an unparalleled 360-degree view," per the company.

The new platform prioritizes TikTok trends by "analyzing their health, strength and stability in the context of their macro forecasts," according to WGSN.

This reportedly affords a wider view of trend lifespans and the ability to anticipate those that will follow, along with "any risks to avoid." This can allow brands to invest in long-term value rather than finding themselves stuck in a reactive mode. 

Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, says, ”In the hyper competitive beauty market, identifying fad vs trend is essential. With our truly unique, ground-breaking TikTok analytics forecasts no brand needs to waste time nor investment on here-today-gone-tomorrow product fads, and instead can get ahead of the market with the trends that will really change the bottom line.”

Varga adds, “This new series will be a game-changer. We have created a first-of-its-kind proprietary methodology combining data and human forecasting expertise to provide clients with a comprehensive analysis and visualisation of a TikTok trend’s strength and lifespan. This is crucial for planning and product development, ensuring our clients are always ahead of the trends - even the weird ones!”

Mirela Dufrayer, brand and content marketing manager, WGSN, concludes, “Developing forecasting solutions that support the responsible evolution of the fashion industry is part of our commitment to sustainability. By pointing out the right trends, we ensure clients don’t create excess inventory. Knowing which trend to invest in and when means brands can reduce their carbon footprint and develop products with longevity.”