fad

A desirable trend characterized with lots of enthusiasm and energy over a short period of time. Fads are often seen with common consumer items, especially around a holiday season. Products that have fallen into this category include Beanie Babies in the 1990s, and gaming system in the 2000s. They can also be seen in other areas, such as investing. For example, leveraged buy-outs (LBOs) were used frequently in the 1980s for companies looking for acquire rivals, suppliers, and other related entities. In the late 1990s though, LBOs became less popular.

I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year. (from Prentice Hall's business books editor, 1957)