Rock stars from the corner office

Sweaty crowds, hot superstars, thunderous applause, endless lines for the restrooms, and at least two days of hangovers: No, this isn’t about Wacken, Nova Rock, or the Greenfield Festival. It’s about an event that’s actually all about business—the OMR Festival, an event for digital marketing and technology. OMR stands for «Online Marketing Rockstars,» and the name alone gives away that this is about more than just professional development or dry statistics.

«For many companies, resting on their »hidden champion' status is no longer an option."

Once again this year, OMR recently brought the marketing and digital scene to Hamburg and kept the party going for two days. Instead of suits and ties, people here wear denim shirts and sneakers; instead of dry presentations, there are lively talks and boisterous parties; and instead of CEOs and decision-makers on the guest list, anyone with a ticket is welcome. And yet, it’s still all about digital marketing and business—just a little more colorful.

A strong brand, not just a strong product

Since 2011, the OMR Festival has been showcasing—live and in color—the direction in which B2B marketing is heading: it’s becoming more experiential, more human, and more emotional. And this isn’t limited to events and gatherings, but extends to all forms of communication. Any B2B brand that wants to stand out needs to tap into emotions. After all, emotions are what make a strong brand—not just the product anymore. This was also recently demonstrated by the «Liquid x Avasta Challenger Index,» a report by the U.S. brand consulting firm Liquid. According to the report, a robust brand presence is particularly crucial for the growth and profitability of B2B brands. According to the report, brand awareness and trust often have a greater influence on purchasing decisions in the B2B sector than the product itself—and emotions are also playing an increasingly important role.

Is B2B now becoming B2H—Business-to-Human? And where does this trend come from? «We live in an increasingly digital world,» says Georgina Bott, Director of Corporate Communications at the Vogel Communications Group. «The way people gather information and make purchases has completely changed: decisions are made faster, companies have shorter go-to-market timelines, and the one with the best Google ranking wins. Relying on »hidden champion’ status is no longer an option for many companies, because competitive pressure is increasing even in B2B markets.”

The Stone Monster from Thyssenkrupp Polysius

And with that comes growing pressure to stand out and make an impression. Last year, the world’s largest advertising stage—the Super Bowl—showed how a B2B provider can achieve this. In a spot lasting just under a minute, the software provider Workday celebrated all its employees in the finance and HR departments. For Workday, they’re true rock stars—the unsung heroes who keep the organization running. Pete Schlampp, Chief Marketing Officer, wrote on the Workday blog that the Super Bowl is «a tremendous opportunity to engage and entertain new and diverse audiences.» Real rock icons, including Billy Idol, Ozzy Osbourne, and Paul Stanley, shared their personal thoughts on the term “rock star” as it relates to employees. It’s compelling proof that B2B can be cool, has stories to tell, and can definitely rock the big stage.

«Our customers want facts and figures. But if everyone presents themselves that way—how can we set ourselves apart?»

This is also demonstrated by a recent campaign from Thyssenkrupp Polysius, in which the industrial company promotes its crushing systems for the cement industry with an emotional story: In cinematic style, a massive stone monster awakens in the quarry and furiously and recklessly destroys everything in its path—until it stands before the Thyssenkrupp machine and crumbles to stone itself. Complete with a cute meerkat and rich sound design, this spot offers everything needed for top-notch entertainment. And that’s exactly what the company wanted to achieve with this ad: «As a plant manufacturer in the cement and lime industries, our communication is dominated by machinery. Our customers want facts and details. But if everyone presents themselves that way—how do we manage to stand out?» That’s the question the Thyssenkrupp Polysius team asked itself beforehand, explains Marketing Director Brigitta Pieper. «Of course, through technically sound arguments. But a good dash of emotion and compelling storytelling also play a key role in creating a campaign that stands out.» Her target audience, says Pieper, isn’t just a «string of companies—but the people who work there every day. People with feelings.»

People with Feelings

At first, not everyone was on board—but by having everyone involved voice their concerns, the campaign was refined so that the message ultimately fit perfectly. «The campaign and its imaginative storytelling are being praised all over the world,» says Brigitta Pieper. «It’s worth being bold and breaking out of your usual communication framework—in the truest sense of the word.»

The channels used for B2B campaigns are also changing. The study «Social Media in B2B Communication» by the «First B2B Social Media Working Group» shows that nearly 94 percent of the companies surveyed in the DACH region use social media, with LinkedIn leading the way (91.7 percent). This is followed by Facebook (71.2 percent), Instagram (67.7 percent), and YouTube (55.7 percent). The relevance of TikTok is also growing; according to the study, its usage has nearly doubled compared to the previous year. «In line with the B2H approach, these channels are relevant for reaching the target audience in their private lives as well,» explains Dominic Scheppelmann, Managing Director of 2do GmbH, which is part of the Grow Digital Group (see interview). The challenge: «Many B2B companies still lack clear brand positioning and a brand promise, which are the foundation of branding. The priority now is to do the groundwork and lay this foundation.»

But even though branding is becoming more important in the B2B sector, that doesn’t mean the two disciplines are merging here. There are differences: «The biggest difference is the speed of the decision-making process. While B2C targets a consumer who often makes purchasing decisions on an emotional level, in the B2B sector, entire buying centers are usually involved in a purchasing decision. No wonder, since purchasing often involves larger investment sums,» says Georgina Bott. The only thing that doesn’t differ is the way the audience is addressed, since the recipients are, after all, people in every case.”.

INTERVIEW

«B2B marketing can, should, and must be fun and stand out.»

m&k: Dominic Scheppelmann, what trends in B2B marketing are important right now?

Dominic Scheppelmann: While in the B2C sector, the topic of marketing automation is often defined down to the last decimal place, many B2B companies have barely tapped into its potential and have automated few, if any, communication processes. This is where one of the biggest opportunities lies. On a human level, account-based marketing—often associated with the concept of “customer centricity”—is becoming increasingly relevant. Traditional cold calling is becoming less and less effective; instead, the focus is on delving deeper into the needs of the target audience and building trust.

The product is no longer the most important factor when it comes to delighting business customers. What does this mean for companies?

For decades, it was common sense that outstanding offerings paved the way to new customers. However, this was back when product development cycles were very long and extremely expensive. As technology continues to advance at an exponential rate and competition intensifies as a result, B2B brands must invest more in branding.

B2B is becoming B2H. What differences still remain compared to B2C?

However, B2B and B2C marketing have, to some extent, lost their original meaning because, these days, all companies are focused on attracting attention. The company that attracts attention wins. Whether in B2B or B2C marketing, it’s ultimately people who decide whether or not to take notice of a message. So B2B can learn from B2C here and make greater use of proven attention-grabbing techniques like humor and emotion. Or to put it simply: B2B marketing can, should, and must be fun and eye-catching these days!