The new normal after Covid19 is simply the old one

"Everything will be fine" and "we will be better": two phrases that, in the spring of two years ago, we often listened to online and offline.

Two phrases that had to give us hope and courage: Covid19 was a terrible dare, but we would have overcome it together and would have become better, more cooperative and supportive.

Many were convinced that our rebirth from Covid would push us to change our habits in consumption, culture, sociality and job, with the massive introduction of smart working.

Some research suggests this is not the case, at least for now.

Everything had to change. Very little is changing

From the first weeks of pandemic, many believed that Coronavirus scourge would force us to rethink our ways of life.

How? By revising the global capitalist model, for example; or by investing more in public health; by promoting environmental sustainability with more resolve; by seeking a better balance between professional and private life.

Others, more simply, thought that some businesses (especially those related to digital and e-commerce) would take off while others, more traditional and outdated, would experience an unstoppable decline.

It doesn't seem to go that way. 

Many sectors, after the devastating crisis of 2020-21, have regained height, up to approaching the levels before pandemic:

• In the United States, the percentage of online sales have continued to rise at the same pace as in recent years 
• The stock price of Zoom, one of the quarantine icons, is back to early 2020 levels 
• In Britain, cinema turnout is returning to 2019 levels 
• Also in the UK, online searches for men suits are at pre-pandemic levels (perhaps many are back in the office with the traditional dress code)

Our values are (almost) the same

This trend is also confirmed by the Ipsos Global Trends Study 2021, which at the end of 2021 analyzed sentiment regarding numerous topical issues in 25 countries.

According to the research, our attitudes towards environment, science, health, technology and future have not changed so much.

Even today, as a few years ago, we are worried about climate change and global warming - with the growing awareness, especially among the youngest, that prompt action must be taken.

Even today, as a few years ago, we believe in the progress of science and medicine - a confidence strengthened in the last two years, also thanks to the development in record time of vaccines against Covid 19.

Even today, as a few years ago, we consider the power of tech companies to be excessive - but an increasing number of people accept the release of their personal data in exchange for digital services.

Even today, as a few years ago, we feel nostalgia for a probably idealized past and we are afraid of a future made uncertain by globalization - and the ongoing war is not mitigating these feelings.

Among the trends there is also the so-called Brand Purpose: the belief that brands must express a position on current political and social issues.

A belief I don’t share, because it often boils down to embracing social and political causes only when they are fashionable and attract the consensus of business targets, and not when they are still minority and awkward.

Change is at work and requires balance

Denying the overstated forecasts of spring 2020, however, does not mean denying that huge changes are taking place anyway.

However, these are long-term changes, which began well before pandemic and which pandemic accelerated; but they would have happened the same.

My suspicion is that many marketing experts, or self-styled ones, emphasize every trend just to attract attention, feed unfounded fears and then sell their solutions to these fears at a high price.

In our sector, those who use apocalyptic, snooty and ultimate tones often enjoy undeserved success by those looking for easy certainties.

Even when certainties do not exist.

Maintaining balance and a sense of proportion, sticking to concrete data and grasping intricacies and nuances, on the other hand, are likely to make us appear less self-confident and more difficult to understand.

Selling instant solutions is more simple and lucrative, but sometimes deeply deceptive; and can destroy, in the long run, the reputation of an entire category - that of marketers, whatever definition you give to that word.

Covid or not Covid, the change is up to us

In general, hoping that an external event (in this case Covid) will automatically yield positive changes seems a bit naive to me.

Certainly external events, happy or unhappy as they are, affect our life; but then it’s up to us to rule and direct this change in the right direction.

Covid alone produces only disasters.

However, we can see in this tragedy the chance to build something valuable.

And building value requires our laborious action and will not come as a gift from Heaven.