The B2B Brand Manifesto

It’s time for a paradigm shift. To break away from the absence of courage, ambition, and creativity in B2B.

It’s time for a new agenda. One where B2B companies utilize their full brand potential and step out of the shadows.

Danish B2B companies are poised at the threshold of a new era. One that combines the industry’s historic focus on rationality with the power of creativity.

A merger of math and magic with the potential to catapult the industry to new heights.

Fantastic initiatives are already gaining ground with the big players leading the way and the smaller ones following the outline of their footsteps.

It’s only the beginning.

On the verge

I am convinced we are on the verge of something big. The foundation for the next wave of B2B communication and branding is being laid right now. B2B enterprises have the potential to really change the world in a positive way – and they have the size to set the tone for the rest of the industry.

B2B is moving forward with the momentum of a strong tailwind like never before. But aim and focus are required to get the underbrush of SMBs to join in. That’s why I want to set the direction with a B2B brand manifesto. A pledge and a compass in equal parts for B2B brands who want more than just to blend into the crowd. For those with courage and ambition. Those with a clear and bright purpose:

There are no shortcuts.

Find your story. And tell it.

‘Long-term’ trumps ‘short-term’. Reputation is repetition.

Create. Don’t copy. And if you become inspired, make your own version even better.

Be niche. And own it.

Words matter. Carve out your own voice.

Stand for something.

Or better yet. Be against something.

Reinvent yourself. A brand is never static.

There are only your actions. And what they mean to your customers.

It’s that simple.
It’s that hard.
And it will all be worth it.

Live up to the expectations

Consumers have high expectations – no matter what two letters we combine with 2. However, B2B has disappointed for so long that sub-par is now the norm. It’s time to shake things up and reclaim the playing field.

If B2B companies are going to live up to their full potential – both economically and in terms of their impact on the world – we need to dare to be ambitious enough to make promises that go beyond flimsy marketing.

A brand is no more than an idea. An elaboration of abstract feelings and preferences. But ideas are what create change and they hold the potential to unite us all and take us in a better direction. So, B2B companies must have the courage to be more than just companies. They must become brands. With all that this entails in terms of opinions, feelings, and a greater purpose.

Not just for the sake of the consumer, but for the world of which they are a part.