Microtrends


Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes is a non-fiction book by Mark Penn and Kinney Zalesne. The text was initially published by Twelve on September 5, 2007. Mark Penn has been named the winner of the Consumer Insights category in the 2010 Atticus Awards for this book.

Overview

The text focuses on subtle and invisible trends in demography, sociology, business, family life, technologies, human interactions, and many other areas—that are currently shaping the potential future the world and society. Overall, the authors try to categorize approximately 75 microtrends seen in the modern world.

WSJ column

The book examines how small groups of people can trigger big changes. Specifically, Penn shows how a mere one percent of the American public, or 3 million people, can create a "microtrend" capable of launching a major business or even a new cultural movement, changing commercial, political and social landscapes. From December 2008 to December 2009, Penn authored a regular online column for the Wall Street Journal called "Microtrends", focusing on demographic trends in society and business. Microtrends appeared regularly in the Media & Marketing section of the Wall Street Journal.

Reception

—Review by The New York Times