If you notice more ads for productivity apps and technology brands while binge-watching your favorite shows, you're right. At least that's the case, according to agency executives, as B2B marketers have become more active in B2C marketers' playbooks over the past year, appearing in consumer-facing spaces like TikTok and running emotional and sometimes humorous spots. It is said that the company is also running streaming advertisements with the latest features. .
Today's marketing environment is more fragmented than ever before. Like consumer brands, business brands aim to stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace.
“All of these things were being done by the best brands in B2C, but they hadn't yet penetrated B2B,” said Jared Gruner, head of strategy at Ogilvy California. “B2B is different. I felt like I was doing things the way I was supposed to,” he said, later adding: “I'm his B2B, but I don't just compete with other enterprise software brands. I compete with your vacation, I compete with politics, I compete with your friends.”
The lines between business marketing and consumer marketing are starting to blur. In response, agency executives are encouraging B2B marketers to incorporate a more robust media mix and invest more money into brand awareness efforts on TikTok and streaming ads to improve brand ethos and storytelling. He said he is encouraging people to rewrite their strategies to strengthen their storytelling.
For example, work-related enterprise software company Workday launched a global campaign during last week's Masters with humorous TV commercials featuring Gwen Stefani, Travis Barker, and Billy Idol. The momentum is growing after Workday secured a spot in the 2023 Super Bowl last year. Digiday reported last month that more B2B marketers are investing in influencer marketing. Meanwhile, his productivity app Notion has been in the works since 2022, when he released a global outing campaign.
Leslie Lee, senior vice president of marketing at out-of-home media company Vistar Media, says B2B marketers also want to be flexible with their messaging, moving from company stories and product promotions to emotional messaging. It is said to be transitioning. She added that B2B marketers have been willing to invest more money in programmatic out-of-home advertising in recent years to better meet decision makers wherever they are. (She did not reveal the specific amount spent.)
Ed East, co-founder and global CEO of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy, said the agency is seeing an increase in B2B influencer marketing inquiries. “What we're trying to do is develop a creative approach that can integrate B2B messaging into his B2C content creator's videos,” he said. “Content used to be very corporate, but now [B2B marketers are] I'm thinking of a way to break through. ”
Greg Tedesco, executive vice president of Zeno Digital Experience (ZDX), has a similar story. He teaches B2B clients to leverage mainstream consumer channels such as TikTok and streaming advertising to target decision makers with his 24-hour response.
“Honestly, a lot of what we do is appeal to them as people, not just their LinkedIn titles,” he says. “These different channels can and will continue to be channels of reach, awareness and conversion.”
Leveraging B2C strategies isn't necessarily a new phenomenon for B2B marketers, but the category's long lead cycles make it increasingly important to find ways to ensure brand relevance beyond traditional sales pitches. Masu.
“These brands intuitively knew that they had permission to do something that their audience would pay attention to, even if it didn't meet the requirements,” Gruner said. “These are universal principles that all brands should follow. But I think B2B was slow. It felt different, it felt like it was unique and special. Now we… I know that's not the case.”
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