Founded in 2018, the platform has proven itself by helping the fashion industry stay ahead of trends. It uses AI and big data from Google Search and TikTok to predict the next big consumer trends through an easy-to-use dashboard that shows what is trending or declining among consumers, as well as long-term and likely short-term fads.
“What we're doing at Spate is reverse engineering the entire database of every search that's happening on the internet in the United States. And by looking at those search queries, we can get a raw, unfiltered, unbiased view of consumer perspectives,” Spate co-founder Olivier Zimmer told FoodNavigator-USA.
“What we look at is essentially the life cycle of a trend. As trends emerge on social media, for example TikTok, we are able to pick up on the early signs of these trends emerging. Then, as they mature and get bigger and larger, we typically switch over to Google,” he added.
Combined, these will enable users to “predict the future,” he said, allowing brands to innovate more precisely to meet consumer needs and sell products using the same language as consumers.
Spate simplifies discovery and provides drill-down capabilities
Spate's platform allows users to explore food categories, dig into specific trends, and search social media data, including three years of historical data and one year ahead using the platform's predictive models.
Users who are unfamiliar with a trend can click on it to read a brief definition and see the search terms consumers are using to research the trend.
Users can also filter trends by stage (nascent or mature), which gives insight into the staying power of a trend.
TikTok data is perfect for developing your marketing strategy
Spate organizes TikTok's data by hashtags — Zimmer says the company continues to add more than 750 new ones each week — to allow users to explore microtrends that might be better suited for marketing, social media posts and influencer collaborations rather than product development.
The data is also segmented by discovery mode and category, allowing businesses to dig deeper into topics they already care about, such as tea, or scroll through emerging trends.
Recognizing that not everyone wants to do their own research, Spate also regularly publishes trend reports created by IT staff who use the platform.
“These reports are based on the same data, but with expertise and [human] “Touch,” Zimmer says.
Brands interested in using Spate can learn more and sign up for the monthly service at Spate.nyc.
