Celebrating Creativity in B2B

Our clients bring amazing things into the world. What fuels us as marketers—on top of our client's ingenuity—are the thinkers, practitioners and creators who are showing us a new way. In this space, every few weeks we share what is capturing our attention—big or small.

1. Award-Winning Creativity in B2B Marketing

Today’s B2B landscape is a hotbed of creativity, innovation, and strategic thinking. From compelling storytelling to interactive content, B2B brands are embracing creativity to engage their audiences in meaningful ways. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA)’s B2 Awards recognize stellar marketing in the B2B space, and there’s no better place to see the increase in B2B creativity than combing through the archives of past category winners.

Take, for instance, the Forest Stewardship Council, awarded gold for their website redesign that turned an average landing page into an “inspirational recruitment engine that encourages more businesses to become FSC certified,” with a human-feel that users love.

Need more proof of B2B innovation? Check out Payoneer’s attention-grabbing creative in their “Own Tomorrow” campaign directed towards entrepreneurs. It’s not only visually captivating, but sharp, smart, and effective: it spurred a 273% increase in leads and won a silver spot at the 2022 ANA B2 Awards..

If you were selling AI to the healthcare industry, why not design your marketing campaign using AI? ZS won gold for doing just that. Their “Data Connects Us” campaign was recognized as B2B’s first campaign exclusively using AI-generated imagery and video on a landing page.

In this era of digital transformation, creativity isn't just a buzzword; it’s the DNA that fuels innovative B2B marketing strategies. It’s also a necessity for B2B marketers. So, whatever your objective is, remember: standout creativity that speaks to the target audience is essential.

PJA Authors: Hugh Kennedy & Jack Palmer

2. Here’s to the Gray Hairs of B2B Marketing

Three cheers to M.T. Fletcher for their recent AdAge article “3 Ways to Fix the Ad Industry—Before It’s Too Late.”

Fletcher strikes off some good points about who should own the IP of campaign ideas and how holding companies have wreaked havoc on storytelling and craft, but where I tuned in with most interest was the columnist’s claim that “agencies should (re)hire senior talent if they expect to stay relevant.”

Although I’ve seen plenty of heartbreaking evidence among technology company friends who were forced to train their much younger replacements and then let go—nothing to do with their age, of course (Yeah, right.)—I was surprised to learn that only 5 percent of the advertising workforce is over the age of 50. As Fletcher notes, this “is ironic considering agencies are begging clients to trust them with the future of their business.”

Marketing and advertising always has felt a bit like Logan’s Run to me (wait, am I dating myself?) or my current fitness obsession, CrossFit. Once you get beyond 40, the numbers thin. Go beyond 55, and you can’t help bumping into well-worn bromides like “Advertising is a young man’s game.” I need not point out the instant irrelevance of such a comment based on its explicit sexism, but it still makes the rounds.

One thing I do find heartening about the B2B marketing world is that marketers with age and experience are more respected and listened to than in consumer channels. I currently work with a COO who is more than 70, a client consultant who is pushing 70, and a CMO who is in their mid-sixties. All three bring a lifetime of industry expertise, complete credibility, and an ability to cut to the chase and eschew buzzwords in a way I find refreshing.

At PJA, we skew older versus the advertising agency world as well. Although half of our staff are under 40, many of us are over 50. Does this reflect poorly on our work or client experience?

On the contrary. Clients love that we’re C-suite ready, come to the table with fresh ideas based on deep experience, and don’t gum up our teams with junior-level staff who are often seen as filler in marketing circles. Of course, we see our younger staff as incredibly mature and seasoned for their age, in part because they have chosen B2B. To quote our unofficial agency tagline, they like the hard stuff. And they make magic with it.

But make no mistake. Ageism is everywhere. As Joanna Lahey’s research points out, age discrimination in the U.S. starts at age 35. It’s up to all of us to fight (and market) against it, especially as our country ages right alongside us.

PJA Author: Hugh Kennedy

3. The Power of Authenticity

I’ve always admired brands who aren’t confused, who stand for something bigger than their offerings, and stand for it for decades. They tell it loud and proud. Dove has challenged false beauty standards for two decades, and today, in an era where 90% of content is predicted to be AI-generated by 2025, they know exactly where they stand. Dove has always pledged to “keep beauty real,” so their commitment to champion real beauty by never using AI to create or distort women's images is a fitting, on-brand response to how AI is impacting their space. They even went one step further by developing a playbook with prompting tips that anyone can use to generate images that represent real beauty on AI programs. Dove joined the AI conversation but differentiated themselves by standing against the use of AI, which aligns to their core values.

In the dynamic world of B2B industries, where technologies like AI are transforming landscapes, brands that stand for something larger than their products inspire trust and loyalty. Just as Dove's unwavering commitment to real beauty resonates with consumers, B2B brands can differentiate themselves by championing values that align with their customers' evolving needs and remaining relevant to current conversations and breakthrough technologies. This approach fosters deeper connections but also positions the brand as forward-thinking leaders in their industries.

PJA Author: Emily Dzino