It’s a common misconception that B2B advertising must be plain or uninspiring. However, with the right creative approach, B2B campaigns can capture attention just like their B2C counterparts.
Like storytelling, unique visuals, or even humour, creative B2B campaigns stand out by bringing fresh ideas and messages that lift the campaign outside of being consumer focussed.
The primary goal of B2C PR is often to drive immediate sales by appealing directly to consumers. In contrast, B2B PR focuses more on building long-term relationships. and reputation, enhancing brand credibility, and trust among businesses and stakeholders.
Shaping perceptions that can lead to bigger deals over time, even if it doesn’t result in immediate sales.
B2B PR can give you the promotional ‘air-cover’ to heighten brand awareness. Putting you front of mind while driving customer and consumer engagement.
Creative concepts are formed from big ideas. Ideas that have the legs for multi-piece campaigns which can be pitched across all media channels without narrating the salesy messages such as the brands ‘zingy taste’ B2B content focusses more on messages such as ‘the brand is a leader in its sector’ make a bigger impression eventually.
Your customers aren’t glued to their screens all the time
You need maximum reach to build brand awareness and win new customers. So, it’s important to communicate with prospects through every channel they use. That means trade and business media too.
By building on brand association of quality industry titles, yours will ride on the authority of theirs. And with readership of those titles still being high, your brand and proposition is going to be seen by audiences besides consumers only.
No pay-for-play in sight
Not pay-for-play! As one door closes in advertising spend, another opens in earned media opportunities.
Earning quality media placements is the key to saving on sponsored content and advertising spend. Regardless of where spending is split between B2B PR and marketing strategies, one thing is clear: making the most of earned media opportunities is essential.
The evolution of B2B PR in the digital era
I had the privilege of working in a PR role with TBWA\HL on the legacy campaign #BreakingBallet. Recently, I’ve come to realise that alongside PR awards, there’s another category that resonates with the essence of PR – creative data.
A new category this category in the PR sector at Cannes emphasises that data and compelling content are essential driving forces in any form of public relations.
The Cannes Lions way
PR was only introduced as a category in the early 2009. And now in 2024 we have The Creative B2B Lions celebrate game-changing creativity and effectiveness in work for products and services that are purchased by professionals on behalf of businesses.
That sounds about right but would not be possible without data or content.
Overall, with multiple categories now in the PR category the craft of strategic and creative communication is growing. Creative public relations should showcase original thinking and insights, with strategies rooted in earned media that increase awareness and drive progress in business, society, and culture.
Central to this work is storytelling—an essential element that has always been public relations.
Through this integrated approach, PR can better address the complexities of today’s marketplace, leveraging unique insights from both B2B and B2C perspectives to create compelling narratives that resonate across diverse audiences.
Sasha Kupritz is an experienced creative B2B specialist. She has worked with big and small agencies across the board on too many brands to remember, but some last forever in her mind and for the South African advertising industry.
