B2B Marketing: Elevate Your Brand Creative

In the latest episode of Constructive Insights, we dive into the pressing need for more creativity in the B2B building materials industry. Join Communications Director Jen Candlish and Creative Director Mike Llewellin for a lively, insightful discussion about why brands must embrace bold ideas and take calculated risks. This is especially true if they want to get noticed, get selected and get installed. Trust us when we say this episode is packed with expert tips and actionable strategies that will inspire building materials brands to push the boundaries of what they thought was possible.

What you’ll learn in this Constructive Insights episode:

• The importance of creative strategies in differentiating your brand in the building materials industry
• How to develop a distinct brand personality that resonates with your audience
• Practical tips for implementing innovative marketing strategies that engage and excite potential customers

“Right now, there’s more competition than there’s ever been. But with that, there’s a lack of differentiation. So many [brands] are out there trying to say their piece, but they’re all kind of saying the same thing.” – Mike Llewellin

The importance of creativity in B2B marketing

The building materials industry is slowly shifting towards marketing strategies with more creativity. Despite this progress, many brands still hesitate to fully engage in creative risk taking. This seems to be especially true in the B2B space, where taking a big swing is not as common. Why? Well, some of it comes down to tradition.

B2B brands often focus heavily on the three Ps: Price, Product and Promotion. While this can be effective, especially in the short term, it often leads to a lack of differentiation among brands in the marketplace. To counter this relative sameness, brands need to create memorable experiences that resonate with their target audiences—particularly those who are not yet in the market, and just waiting for a brand to catch their attention.

The 95-5 rule: Don’t just grab attention; earn it and hold onto it

When it comes to embracing creativity and making bold choices, one critical concept to remember is the 95-5 rule. In essence, this means that only 5% of the audience is actually in the market at any given time. The remaining 95% are not yet ready to buy. To capture and hold the attention of this much larger segment, brands like yours need to start focusing on building fun, engaging, insightful and memorable brand experiences that touch all stages of the customer funnel so that when those segments are ready to buy, they think of your brand first.

Remember, brands need to be able to excite their audiences. With longer buying cycles in the building materials industry, there’s more than enough time to do so—and not just in the upper funnel. Many players in the B2C space, for example, do a great job earning attention and keeping things interesting throughout a customer journey. Here are a few classic B2C tactics to consider:

> Pique their curiosity.

To capture and retain consumer interest, it’s essential to tap into people’s raw curiosity. Think about how a campaign can hint at untapped potential or hidden benefits, encouraging customers to explore further.

> Be unexpected.

Standing out in a crowded market often requires an element of surprise. Consider breaking conventions with humour, clever twists, celebrity or influencer cameos or other measures that may catch people off guard.

> Define your personality.

A strong, distinctive brand personality will also help set you apart from competitors. By consistently sharing core values and themes in a personable way, you’ll develop a unique brand identity that resonates with your audience on a deeper level.

What fuels good creative? Knowing your audience

The most successful creative often comes from having a deep understanding of target audiences. Tailoring your messaging to address their specific needs, pain points and goals demonstrates a clear understanding of their industry, and positions you as a knowledgeable partner. At the end of the day, businesses seek solutions that drive success. By reflecting their needs in your creative content, you build trust and credibility.

> A simple human insight can go a long way

Using human insights in B2B marketing is crucial for creating personalized content that resonates with target audiences. By understanding what makes customers tick, marketers can tailor their strategies to build stronger relationships and drive engagement. Plus, incorporating human insights can help in crafting more dynamic and effective messaging across the board.

> Case study: Getting real with Glidden

Larger B2B players with deep roots in their industry may lean towards a more conservative approach, emphasizing professionalism, stability and expertise in their ads. However, there is a growing realization that looking to human insights and embracing bold ideas can lead to greater engagement and differentiation.

The “Let’s Be Real” campaign Jan Kelley created for Glidden—which resonated with audiences by acknowledging the real-life challenges of DIY projects—is a testament to the power of creative, insight-driven marketing. In this case, it was the notion that customers appreciate when companies get a little more real with them.

“Through the Glidden work, we wanted to focus on reality—being able to prove that we understand what you’re going through….Yeah, there’s a lot of tears and arguments around colour swatches, and who’s going to apply what when, but it’s all worth it. Being able to speak to an audience on their level, it brings you into the conversation. We get them, so they get us.” – Mike Llewellin

Key Takeaway: Create a well-defined and distinct brand identity that engages the audience on an emotional level, wherever that may be. B2B brands that embrace this philosophy can stand out in the sea of sameness and excel in a crowded market.

Practical tips for next steps in your creative journey

> Let your brand’s personality shine over time.

As we alluded to earlier, showcasing your brand’s personality isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. It’s not enough to simply inject a little fun and character into the top of your sales funnel, either. Your brand’s personality needs to permeate every stage of the customer journey, from initial engagement all the way through to conversion and beyond. Your unique voice and persona should be evident in every interaction, ensuring a consistent and engaging experience.

And remember to keep that personality alive. Even after a prospect has become a loyal customer, maintaining this lively presence is crucial. Cultivating a personality isn’t a one-time thing—it’s a continuous journey that enriches every touchpoint with your audience.

> Break out of your comfort zone.

True creativity often requires stepping outside your comfort zone. Sticking to tried-and-true methods can feel safe and secure, but this can limit your potential for innovation and differentiation. By embracing new ideas and exploring unconventional approaches, you can create a distinctive brand presence that captures the attention of potential clients and stands out in a crowded market.

> Experiment with different media.

Not every bold idea involves text and a photo. Don’t be afraid to dabble in interactive content, immersive storytelling, video and perhaps even virtual or augmented reality—especially if you’d like to engage your audience in new ways.

> Embrace innovation across the board.

When it comes to stepping out of your comfort zone, this should also go for how the work is created. For example, embracing artificial intelligence (AI) can help brands research and produce bold content more efficiently—as long as these tools are used effectively. The ever-important human touch can’t be lost in the process.

> Trust the experts.

With lots of brands tapping into AI, it’s important to keep an eye out for over-use in everything from images to campaign taglines to emojis. A creative team well versed in AI knows how to get the most out of these tools and resources—including when, where and how to use them.

Let’s get creative together.

Are you eager to take steps toward differentiating your B2B brand in the market? Want to create lasting impressions and build stronger connections with your audience? Contact us today, and let’s talk about pushing your creative campaigns to new heights.