Website design By BotEap.comRobyn Waters, Target’s former vice president of trends, design and product development, has written an engaging and easy-to-read book on the trends and countertrends that are taking hold. The Hummer and the Mini is a book that demonstrates how every product that becomes the new rave thing, like the Hummer, has a counter-product that is designed to be the exact opposite, like the Mini Cooper. The Hummer is known as a big, luxurious, excessive vehicle that guzzles gas and is terrible for the environment. At the same time, the Mini Cooper, which is so popular by contrast, is known for its great fuel economy, speed and style, and for being environmentally friendly.

Website design By BotEap.comWaters applies his ideas from the Hummer vs. the Mini Cooper to all kinds of products and services available to people everywhere. The book is divided into ten chapters, covering a different sector of products that have trends and counter-trends. There are dozens of examples in each chapter, and in this review I’ll give a brief rundown of some of the more interesting examples.

Website design By BotEap.comAt the beginning of his book, Waters explains how he personally spotted trends and countertrends while working at Target. She describes how people love to buy expensive clothes, but at the same time she will buy an expensive pair of jeans and wear a five dollar t-shirt with those jeans. While expensive jeans may be the new trend, you could describe the cheap shirt as a counter-trend. At the same time, while Sony PlayStation is a huge seller these days, board games have made a comeback. People are more aware that video games fry their brain, so they play board games to use their brains more effectively.

Website design By BotEap.comAnother example Robyn Waters gives in her book is how ultra-expensive modern furniture from the best stores is very popular, but so is really cheap and worn furniture. While expensive items are nice to own and show that one has money, some people feel that buying a dresser or table at the thrift store and giving it a little TLC means more and looks better in the end.

Website design By BotEap.comWaters also discusses how people love to buy items that are widely available to everyone in the same model, including cars, houses, televisions, etc. But there are also counterexamples where the product is highly customizable. Examples include the Scion XB, where the consumer can decide what paint color, interior lights, and other interior options they want. The consumer must wait a little longer than the average person to get their car due to customization, but everyone agrees that it’s worth the wait. Other customizable options include the iPod, Nike shoes and Lands’ End pants. Consumers can choose the color and size of the iPod they want, they can design the color and lettering of their Nike shoes and custom Lands’ End pants. When someone can make an item their own, they are more likely to buy it and enjoy it more than an item that everyone else has.

Website design By BotEap.comAnother section of Waters’s book deals with companies producing luxury items that previously had no market. One example is the In-N-Out hamburger chain. Here, the operators and managers don’t use freezers, they prepare the food to order, cut the fries by hand, and the milk shakes are created with real ice cream. For these reasons, the In-N-Out Burger chain has some of the highest rated and happiest fast food customers in the world. Waters then mentions Airstream’s Sky Deck, a high-class RV that includes a rooftop deck and lounge, wet bar, barbecue, entertainment center, and fancy umbrellas. Companies like Airstream target the population of the world who expect more and want to know that they are getting the best and making big profits as a result.

Website design By BotEap.comThe idea of ​​trend versus counter-trend also applies to technology being very complex versus very simple. People with phones today probably have the ability to text, browse the web, take photos and videos, and use thousands of apps with the touch of a screen. All the various buttons and apps only cause problems for older people and those who grew up with the idea that “simple is better.” For this reason, companies like Vodafone produce phones for the non-techie where only the essential buttons are included on the phone. Buyers get a phone with a basic keyboard, the ability to send text messages, and that’s about it. Life doesn’t have to be so complex and technical, and basic phones and other home appliances are quickly catching on among certain groups of people.

Website design By BotEap.comOne of the most interesting topics in the book is how people pay good money for healthy products. An example of a product with a higher price but high demand is 3 Vodka. This vodka is made from soybeans and is the first time that soybeans have been distilled into alcohol. With such a unique product, you need a unique container, and 3 Vodka does not disappoint. Their bottle is very eye catching, it has a huge 3 along the length of the bottle and has a cap that doubles as a half shot glass. Plus, spas have popped up all over the country, and women and men are paying hundreds of dollars an hour to be pampered. At the same time, while the spas are primarily aimed at adults, they are now being built for children as well. Adults can go for a massage and manicure or pedicure while young children get manicures or pedicures and their hair.

Website design By BotEap.comRobyn Waters’ book gives you a new look at the world around you related to products and trends. Personally, I have never connected the Hummer with the Mini Cooper and how many items are the exact opposite of other products that have caught on with the public and have sold very well. Waters does a great job of covering ten or more markets and explaining dozens of examples of trends and countertrends within each market. This book can be read in a couple of days and is useful for people who are developing products, are interested in current trends, or want to start a new business with an innovative product. I rate this book 4 out of 5.