Often they even pay or give free stuff to people like you for taking surveys and letting them know your opinion about all kinds of stuff that may lead to a fad. Companies pay top dollar for finding out this information. Any company that wants young people to buy its products needs to be up to date on what's hot and what's better to avoid. Successfully figuring out cool can mean millions of dollars. Today, going out on the streets to find and talk with the young people on the edge is how trends are discovered.
Trends begin with the people who create something new, something different.
Whether it's wearing dirty denim, going to raves, listening to Eminem or skateboarding, somebody was the first to do it. Once a slightly larger group of people catches on and decides that the new thing is for them, too, the transition from the edge to the mainstream begins. Along the way, businesspeople and marketers catch on as well, and those who want to get on the in and make some money begin advertising to ensure that the trend they start selling really catches on. The process can take from six months to a few years. By then, beware.