The fascination with the new or the safety of the known? We have this question all the time. In B2B marketing, we often label “novo” as the next great truth. But is it really as innovative as it seems? Have you ever stopped to think if you are looking for something really new or just a well-packed rereading of what you already know?
Studies show that predictable environments reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increase feelings of well-being.According to research from the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), familiarity with predictable patterns in the workplace can improve productivity by up to 27%.
However, we live in times when the search for the different“” often supplants discernment.And as a result, trends already established for years resurface under new names, captivating the market as if they were unprecedented revolutions.
I cite some practical examples in B2B digital marketing:
- Influence Marketing 40 Years ago, Edward Bernays (the father of Public Relations) demonstrated the power of influencers by connecting brands with celebrities to generate impact.
- Customer Experience (CX) ^ Despite being a term “quente”, the concept of “putting the customer at the” center has been in marketing manuals since Philip Kotler in the 1960s.
- Online Communities & Communities Treated as the future of B2B and B2C interactions, online communities are nothing more than an evolution of forums and early internet groups in the 1990s.
So why do we fall into this cycle? Because the new, or the idea of novelty, activates in the brain the reward system, releasing dopamine. Therefore, we are attracted to raise these flags of “absolute truth”. As futurist Seth Godin put it: “Old ideas can have new value when applied to a new context.”
Another insight comes from Simon Sinek, who states: “People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do.” This takes us back to what really matters: purpose and impact, rather than labels.
Amidst so much”“novity, what sets us apart is discernment.We must stop, reflect and ask: does this really work or just fascinate because it looks different?
If you are in B2B digital marketing or any other sector, invest in observing trends with a critical eye and ask yourself: “O what is really new here?” May you find that you do not need more news, but more clarity and intention in what already works.
Are you looking for something new or something that works?
