Thinking Outside the B2B Box

Have you noticed how alot of corporate LinkedIn posts all start to look the same? After a while they all become echo chambers, with slightly different fonts and primary colors. Eventually someone breaks the mold - but it’s not easy. And it takes bravery. So how do you get that kind of out-of-the-box thinking? Turns out, you actually have to look outside the (B2B) box to do that. 

• There was a  Harvard Business Review article on innovation that struck us: “there’s great power in bringing people together from different fields … it can be a source for radical innovation”. That’s true. Think of Tesla. A posterchild for innovation over the last 10 years. When Tesla began radically expanding their brick-and-mortar global footprint they didn’t bring in automotive executives from Detroit. They would have gotten a watered down version of every dealership we’ve ever trudged into since the 60’s. Instead they hired an executive from Burberry. The stores and experiences they developed represented their singular vision and ignited a trend that traditional dealerships are still working to imitate. All because they thought out of the box. Literally. 

• Remember, regardless of B2B or B2C - behind the B and C is still a human being. So, next time you’re looking for innovative ideas for your B2B campaign consider looking beyond your company’s walls. Because the best idea may come from a person, a company, or an agency that has experience with completely different projects than your own. Like Scrubbing Bubbles, or electric cars or data analytics platforms. You might just break through the noise and make an impression your audience doesn’t forget. 

Rebranding? It May Be a Trap!

Rebrands are fun, exciting and can be a fantastic way to breathe a little new life into an organization. They are an opportunity for marketers and agencies alike to flex our creative and strategic muscles. And they can build real excitement both internally and in the marketplace. But, they can also wreak havoc. So, before you jump on the rebranding rollercoaster, here are a few questions you should ask yourself to see if you’re ready for the ride.

1) What’s your motive?

Dig deep here. What’s the true underlying reason for the rebrand? Why is the change right for the business? Are you trying to connect with a new demographic, or has your market evolved in a way that your current brand no longer resonates with it? Or, perhaps you're trying to shake off negative connotations or highlight new offerings. Those could all be good reasons for a rebrand. But, if you’re rebranding for the wrong reasons— like simply wanting a fresh look—you could cost your company a lot of time, money and internal disruption. So, whatever your motive, make sure it aligns with your long-term strategy.

2) Will your rebrand solve your business  issues?

Sometimes, rebranding is a superficial solution to fixing a deeper problem. Remember, a new look and tagline will not fix a bad product, improve customer service or solve organizational challenges at your company. Period. So make sure your rebrand is solving a problem, not covering one up.

3) Are your current customers ready for a rebrand?

It’s easy to focus on new leads, new logos and expanding your market share. But don’t forget about your current customers. Oftentimes, they feel deeply invested in your brand—especially in the B2B tech space (more on that in a future blog). They have your mugs on their desk, your t-shirts in their drawers and your existing brand on the top of their minds. So, changing all that can be disruptive to your fanbase. It can alienate the people who have already invested in your brand. So, make sure they’re onboard and ready to go on the ride with you.

So, is it time for a rebrand? It might very well be (we just did one for a client who had outgrown their old brand) That’s for you to decide, but we’d like to offer an alternative that’s cheaper, less disruptive and could be more impactful. Because, sometimes you don’t have to break things to rebuild them. We call it a Brand Instigation.

What’s a Brand Instigation?

In short, it’s a shot in the arm for your brand. It’s a tweak, a zhuzh or a new expression of your brand that is built on the foundation of your existing brand assets but reimagines them in a way that can feel like a new brand without actually making the old brand obsolete. It accomplishes a lot of the things a rebrand does without all the investment or the risks.

Want to learn more? Reach out.