2026 is finally here.
For the last few years, marketing has been running on cheap sugar: growth hacks, rented trust and corporate roleplay. But like any other trend, the things are starting to settle now. And when the hype starts to wear off, the shining is not so glowing anymore.
At No Peanuts, we’re starting the year by cleaning house. New year, new us, right? So here are our 2 cents on five trends that need to dissapear in 2026.
"Like always, it’s new year, new us!"
1. Influencer Marketing is Officially Dead.
This one is tough to swallow. But let’s stop pretending. Influencing used to be about transferring trust. Now, it’s just a transaction.
You aren’t buying an endorsement; you’re renting a billboard.. You pay for a “shoutout” that gets sandwiched between two other brands and one discount code. The result? A bunch of 3-second visits to your website and zero brand equity.
The Take: Stop renting eyes from middlemen who don’t understand your product. Build your own base. If your brand doesn’t stand on its own, a discount code in a stranger’s bio won’t help you.
2. The 100-Page “Brand Book” Paperweight.
We’ve all seen them. The €10k PDFs filled with “Brand Archetypes,” “Moodboards,” and “Mission Statements” that sound like a Miss Universe speech. They look great in a board meeting, but then they sit in a folder and die.
The Take: If your strategy doesn’t immediately translate into a shot list, a caption, or a specific feeling on set, it’s useless. We don’t do “Books.” We build Brand Universes. Strategy is only valuable if it’s actionable. Everything else is just expensive paper.
3. The B2B Clown Era (TikTok Trends).
There is nothing more painful than watching a serious IT Director or a Medical Professional doing a trending dance because an “expert” told them it’s good for the algorithm.
It’s the fastest way to set your authority on fire.
The Take: Going viral for being a clown doesn’t sell high-end services. Premium brands don’t chase trends—they set the tone. If the content doesn’t add value or show your “stupid amount of effort,” keep it in the drafts.
4. “Honored and Humbled” Corporate-Speak.
LinkedIn has become a sea of “fade” and conservative roleplay. “I’m so honored to announce…” “Humbled by this recognition…”
It’s fake. It’s boring. And it sounds like a PR bot wrote it.
The Take: People don’t buy from “Honored Professionals.” They buy from humans they trust. Talk like you’re at a bar after a long day of work: direct, honest and maybe a little nasty about the struggle it took to get the job done. Leave the “humble” scripts for the people who have nothing real to say.
5. Performance Marketing Without a Base.
“Why aren’t my ads selling?”
Because nobody knows who you are. Running cold ads to a landing page without building a brand universe first is just expensive spam. You’re shouting “BUY” at people who haven’t even been introduced to you yet.
The Take: Performance marketing is the fuel, but the Brand is the engine. Build the engine first or you’re just burning money.
The Bottom Line
In 2026, the middle ground is gone. You’re either a commodity cheap, boring, and replaceable or you’re a brand with gravity.
We’re choosing gravity.
No noise. No shortcuts. No Peanuts.
