Every time we look at websites in a B2B market they all look the same. Same words, same images. The only attractive thing about this is that opportunity for B2B marketers is always there to be positively different. But for some reason this rarely happens. Perhaps it’s because the bar is so low B2B brands barely have to jump to stand out.
So it’s harder for natural pioneers to persuade others to leap beyond stand out to the outstanding. But that should be the ambition always shouldn’t it? Certainly if we want B2B marketing to be the best place to work it can be. All of us who share a passion for B2B marketing have a vested interest in pushing the creative standard up. The best people in marketing get into the business to do outstanding work. If we want them to work with us in B2B, we have to provide the incentives. Is there any stronger incentive than inspiration?
Marketing and advertising graduates the world over are inspired almost from birth by non-stop marketing. Inspiring ideas, words and images draw them to what is, for many, a wonderfully colourful career choice. And it is the most outstanding brands and creative agencies that attract the best talent. Do I have the stats? No. But like 99% of marketing, it’s just common sense.
So how many B2B campaigns are capable of even giving pause for thought that B2B is a worthwhile career choice? And when was the last time you were part of one? It’s unfair to hold up Sony’s incredible feat of launching 80 million petals from a volcano against yet another business man smiling from B2B brand X – but at least we can strive to make it something more inspiring than a bloke in a suit, shaking hands, stood on the world, inside a light bulb or whatever.
We have to start somewhere. So start asking will this B2B brand image we’re spending all this money on make good people inspired to work for us as well as with us. Because, by the way, it amounts to the same thing.
