Vital creativity - N°27

Hi everyone,

Is there enough creativity in B2B Marketing❓

No, even though change is on the way 🚝. To modestly accelerate the movement (and the minds), I decided to focus on creativity in this "Marketing x Teams x Entrepreneurs" newsletter N°27.

More creativity, please!

#marketing #brand #advertising #copywriting #creativity

{Campaigns}

B2B campaigns at a crossroads

If you love campaigns as I do, you can only enjoy Rahul Sachitanand's article for Campaign Asia! It is not only because of the mention of numerous campaigns from Microsoft, Apple, Spark, CGU Insurance, and other big brands in China, India, New Zealand, and Australia. Rahul also underlines several deep B2B trends:

“Whereas traditional B2B campaigns tended to offer help and practical solutions for businesses, we're also seeing B2B messaging taking this a step further by recognising the need to address social issues through purposeful communication.” - Rahul Sachitanand.

He also sums up:

“Creativity in the B2B sphere isn't limited to just the artistic side alone, it can also include creative ways to innovate for clients across media and other channels—with a focus on the sweet-spot between creativity, technology and data.” - Rahul Sachitanand.

You will also find insights about recruiting, targeting, and the effectiveness of marketing spending. Includes interviews of creative heads working at advertising agencies.

{Storytelling}

What's your (B2B) story?

Building a solid long-term relationship with your audience is crucial. The B2B sector doesn't escape the rule. Indeed, as Katy French tells for Column Five:

“According to the Sana 2022 B2B Buyer Report, 84% of B2B buyers would buy from a supplier who they had a great relationship with—even if the terms of business were less preferential.” - Katy French.

This is when storytelling comes into play in the B2B SaaS sector. Katy details five tips to tell unique stories: 1) Share what has and hasn't worked for you; 2) Show your work; 3) Talk about what matters to you and your organization; 4) Share stories about your employees; 5) Dig into your data. It looks simple? Maybe but I hardly see B2B brands doing this. Examples are welcome if you have any!

{Process}

Tell me what your creative process is, and I will tell you who you are

A black piece of paper, some feedback rounds, an in-depth exploration, a problem-solving mindset, the search for the “sweet spot”, and discipline: this is how the creative process of Doug Main, co-founder and creative director of The Bigger Boat, looks like. Published in July 2022 on Branding Mag.

{Skills}

Creative thinking belongs to all

Creativity should not be considered the exclusive domain of the “creatives” and creative industries. This is the appeal of Paul Bailey, Brand Strategy Director at Halo, in his Linkedin article published in 2015. He writes:

“The point of creative subjects isn't to make everyone an artist, but to help everyone harness their creativity. If we can't encourage creative thinking, and show its importance in all areas of life, then the teaching of creative subjects and creativity itself will only be marginalised further.” - Paul Bailey.

A useful opinion about the effects of marginalizing creativity.

{Copywriting}

Did you ever think of recruiting a brand poet?

Emily Penny's text is not an article: it is a poem. Emily draws the added value of words in marketing:

“At art school they teach that creativity comes from ‘happy accidents’. What if the best writing, the writing that lasts, can't be ‘worked out’ but must be felt? It has an energy of its own. It takes risks. That's what makes it compelling.

And so, to poetry.” - Emily Penny.

She also explains why “poems” have become vital for brand messaging and building—publication on ProCopywriters and initially on BeColourful, Emily's website.

{Brand assets}

Big brands despite (or thanks to?) “accidental” assets

What do Guinness, Apple and Nike have in common? According to Jon Lombardo, Head Of Research, The B2B Institute, their logos were “accidental”, in the sense that they emerged from a simple initial thought:

“Ultimately, the best ideas don't start with a grand theory, although that's what the PR stories lead you to believe.

Instead, the best ideas start with a little tinker (…)” - Jon Lombardo.

What draws my attention is the simplicity of the “briefings”: focus on what you want to transport, and you get a great creative solution.

{Brand awareness}

Pop culture and marketing: a winning creative couple

Taking the (great) example of the Raid ad relying on the famous character of Spiderman, Vivek Nanad shows that :

“Utilizing pop culture in marketing is a great strategy, but getting it right is always difficult. Nevertheless, if it works, it is an excellent strategy to go viral and create mass brand awareness.” - Vivek Nanda.

An underutilized practice, in my opinion, especially in B2B.

PS: all the pieces of content were published in the last two weeks unless otherwise stated.

If you reach these lines, it means you read my newsletter: thank you!

I hope you enjoyed it.

Happy to read your comments!

Lucie.