Luckily help is at hand in the form of “New”. Yes, neuroscientists have discovered that the word “New” is hard-wired into our brains (and may I add, hearts). “New” might only be three letters long but there’s a lot of power in every one of them and they’re each packed with innovation, mystery and future promise. No wonder when we hear the word “New” attached to a brand or product, we sit up and take notice. We can’t help it. Choosing the “New” literally turns on the lights in the brain’s ventral striatum (I bet you knew that already). Dr Bianca Wittmann at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London did the tests. However the intricacies of the process work, the result is that the brain sends out a reward signal when the “New” is chosen over the known. And we like that reward.
Enthusiasm for the “New” has to be tempered in marketing of course. The people at Coca-Cola still pale whenever the “N” word is mentioned. Yes, New Coke may have been a flop but the “New” is what drives the creation of Fads. These products or services with a lot of Love but not much Respect in the Love/Respect Axis, are great sources of innovation, differentiation and added value. Help turn the “New” into a Lovemark by adding Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy in transforming quantities and, if our brains get a bit of pleasure along the way, so much the better.
