We’ve all heard the stereotype that business-to-business marketing is corporate and serious. More suited and square than boldness laid bare. Nothing like the glamour, humour and heroism of its B2C counterpart.
Because there’s no place for great, inspiring creative when you’re dealing with engineering, manufacturing, technology or professional services, right?
Wrong. Wrong on all counts, in fact.
“…it’s as much human-to-human as it is business-to-business…”
Even B2B marketing is all about making the right connections with people. So it’s as much human-to-human as it is business-to-business (the reason we’re always reiterating the importance of a marketing mix that balances brand building with lead generation).
As an agency that provides B2B marketing services to a range of clients within manufacturing, financial services, legal, healthcare, and many more industries, we’re no stranger to finding creative, innovative ways to add allure to corporate, industrial and even technical communications.
Research shows that B2B marketing should be just as, if not more, eye-catching, quick-witted and creative as B2C. In a recent LinkedIn study 69% of B2B marketers agreed that B2B purchasing decisions are as emotionally driven as B2C, and 39% said they use storytelling, humour and emotion to help make their campaigns resonate with their audience.
“…80% of B2B customers expect to have a buying experience with the same level of personalisation as B2C marketing…”
In a 2023 study, 92% of CMOs ranked creativity a top priority. And it may seem obvious, but even in B2B marketing, our audiences are made up of people – the same emotionally driven decision-makers as B2C audiences. Sure, they might also be looking for stats, social proof, solutions to very specific problems, and metrics such as ROI. But that doesn’t take away the appeal of striking creative.
“…there’s nothing safe about the ‘sea of same’ B2B marketing channels can become…”
In fact, you could argue it’s even more important to consider the psychology behind your creative decision-making. There’s certainly makes a strong case for personalisation. In fact, according to 6Sense, 80% of B2B customers expect to have a buying experience with the same level of personalisation as B2C marketing.
The takeaway? Being brave can help you stand out from the competition. And it really does pay.
Here are a few examples of clients we’ve worked with where we’ve used creative techniques to generate impressive ROI and results.
The world is on a race against time to reduce carbon emissions and limit the devastating effects of climate change.
Specialists in heating and cooling solutions, Daikin developed the Altherma heat pump as an alternative to fossil-fuel boilers – one with a significantly reduced environmental impact. To promote these benefits, the team needed a stand-out B2C campaign.
With a predominant focus on B2B products, Daikin had very little consumer presence in the UK and needed to persuade a broad audience to invest significantly more money to install a heat pump into their homes compared to a standard boiler.
We developed the Sustainable Home Network identity to align with Daikin’s renewable energy mission. We then created a multi-step, multi-platform campaign.
We developed an overarching message: ‘Be the energy for change” – the thread that ran throughout our persuasive ad campaign. At the heart of the creative was an aspirational vision of a comfortable, low-carbon lifestyle.
The campaign went to market on brochures, LinkedIn and social media advertising, national press and PR. We also developed a TV commercial, and Daikin even featured our designs on their fleet of installer vans.
The Energy for Change website attracted more than 216,000 visitors in three months
13,382 brochure downloads
1,887 requests for an Altherma heat pump to be installed
Phil Robinson, Creative Director:
“Great creative and B2B marketing aren’t always synonymous. We’re all so engrained in the traditional patterns of B2B thinking and speaking that creativity is often lost in the front-of-mind commercial arguments we’re inevitably drawn to.”
“But make no mistake – high-impact creative is essential if your B2B marketing is going to be effective. It’s the one sure-fire way to move hearts and minds.”
Known globally for its best-in-class printers and innovative office printing solutions, Epson needed a powerful brand campaign to promote the benefits of using Heat-Free printing technology.
Epson printers don’t require any heat in the ink ejection process, so they consume less energy. They provide improved performance, increased productivity and reduced environmental impact – which became the driving force behind our campaign.
We used cinematic shots of an Olympic skater to carve the key messaging from our campaign into beautiful ice forms. The powerful video content – paired with photography from Epson’s National Geographic collaboration – told the‘Heat-Free’ story beautifully.
The footage became the bedrock of our visuals, allowing us to draw emotive, evocative comparisons between the technology and its eco-credentials.
We saw 10% YoY growth in sales volume for the business unit from campaign launch.
Luke Waterman, Art Director:
“We work hard to create campaigns that stand out from the crowd. There’s no benefit to blending in – no reward for being professionally overlooked. But there should be a reward for the audience. So we aim to deliver the right visual cues that provoke an emotional response, be it humour, shock and awe, an empathic association, or simply aesthetic value – but (hopefully) it’s never vanilla.
“I think what we do well is to tailor our clients’ message to reflect the needs and interest of the audience, getting the visual look and feel just right to make marketing materials more relevant and interesting.”
Panasonic TOUGHBOOK
Panasonic TOUGHBOOK pioneered the rugged computing market. Its laptops, tablets and handheld devices are designed to withstand the harshest environments in a range of industries, from the military and emergency services, to manufacturing and industrials.
An already well-established brand, TOUGHBOOK wanted a campaign that resonated with its diverse target audiences. It needed to reach multiple sectors and countries, so being translatable was key.
And so ‘TOUGH is’ was born.
The messaging was developed to empower and relate to both the key-workers using the products and the devices themselves.
We formed emotive headlines such as ‘TOUGH is staying strong in mission-critical moments’ and ‘TOUGH is being where you’re needed most’ that would evoke a sense of what it’s like to work in these rugged environments, as well as demonstrating exactly how impressive and robust the technology needs to be. High-octane, dramatic photography brought this vision and the words to life for a striking campaign.
We introduced Video Ask to track the enquiries that came through from the campaign and to engage the website traffic.
63% of people engaged with the Video Ask interface
43% of people answered at least one question
20% of people finished the journey and completed required action
Robbie Masters, Senior Copywriter:
“It’s a misconception that B2B marketing is dull. But actually it can get samey if businesses aren’t careful. Our clients are doing brilliant things, producing ingenious products, and having a positive impact on people’s lives every day.These are stories worth telling.
“It’s our job to unearth those hidden gems, highlight the benefits and find creative ways to tell the brand’s story. Sometimes that’s more challenging than in consumer marketing, where the drivers are desire or aspiration. If anything, great B2B marketing can demand more creativity, more of a human touch, and more emotion – not less.”
So next time you reach for the safe option – whether it’s the same-old image library, your slightly vanilla email template or an ultra-light-touch website refresh –consider being brave and trying something new.
Because there’s nothing safe about the sea of same B2B marketing channels can become.
If you need help bringing a creative spark to your B2B marketing, we’re just an email away. Get in touch at [email protected]
Here at OggaDoon, we work with local, national and international clients across a variety of sectors including health, NGOs and cyber security. It’s great to celebrate the good news regarding brand, service and product launches, however, in the dynamic landscapes of today’s business world, uncertainties and challenges are inevitable, so this is where a PR agency like OggaDoon, with crisis management experience, becomes a powerful ally.
A crisis, whether it be a natural disaster, a product recall, or a reputational issue, can pose significant threats to an organisation’s stability and public image. In such critical moments, the strategic application of public relations becomes a linchpin for navigating through turbulent waters.
PR can help businesses to:
Head to our website to find out more.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we are officially funding a second round of creative and marketing support to businesses dedicated to levelling the playing field for women.
Last year we offered creative support to a local business dedicated to making a positive impact for women in the South-West. The Women’s Work Lab based in Bristol, addresses the motherhood career gap by providing skills-based training to mums on benefits, enhancing their employability. Headed up by an all-female team here at Oakwood, we reviewed their brand identity and created evolved messaging and a new visual look.
Once again, we are interested in hearing from individuals, organisations or businesses who are led or owned by women who are committed to celebrating women’s achievements, championing women empowerment, calling for positive change to advance women, taking action to educate and raise awareness of women’s equality and those who are actively fostering and creating more inclusive workplaces, communities, or practices for women; to help drive forward the important message of this year’s International Women’s Day around inspiring inclusion.
If you think this sounds like you, please apply here: https://oakwoodagency.com/insights/iwd-2024
And don’t forget to spread the word!
Whether you’re a new start-up or the proud owner of a family-run bakery, the digital world can feel like a jungle of jargon and ever-shifting goalposts. But do not worry, my digital adventurers! Today, we’re embarking on an excursion to unravel the mysteries of SEO, minus the patronising tech language.
The wonderful world of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is all about making your website stand out in the eyes of search engines. Consider it as cleaning up your internet presence so that Google, like the most popular kid at school, can’t help but notice you.
Starting with keywords, those sneaky little things that people enter into search engines while looking for something, you need to know which ones will get you a nudge and a wink from Google. Then there’s on-page optimisation, which entails making your titles and meta descriptions both informative and appealing.
Next, don’t forget about backlinks, which are similar to online street cred; the more trustworthy sites link to yours, the more Google believes you’re the best. Last but not least, your site’s user experience must be slicker than a charmer’s chat-up lines, with mobile-friendliness, quick loading speeds, and material as fascinating as a natter at the pub.
For individuals looking to learn the fundamentals of SEO, check out Mastering SEO Fundamentals for Newbies. It’s similar to your trusted map to buried treasure, but in this case, the treasure is massive amounts of web traffic.
SEO isn’t something you do once and then forget about. Google wants to keep us on our toes with its continuous upgrades. And, like fashion trends, if you don’t keep up, you’ll rapidly appear as out of date as socks and sandals.
This year, Google has been busy tweaking the machinery with algorithm improvements, putting an even more focus on the quality of your content and the experience you provide to your users.
What’s the latest in the 2021 SEO scene? You have Google’s Page Experience Update, which focuses on topics like loading speed and mobile friendliness. And don’t underestimate the growing relevance of local SEO. With more people looking for neighbourhood delicacies, it’s a no-brainer to improve your local listings.
Curious about this year’s shake-up? Have a gander at the Beginner’s Guide to 2021 SEO Changes.
Change is the only constant, they say, and Google’s recent upgrades are as consistent as rain on a British summer’s day. Navigating these shifts does not require casting a magic spell; rather, it requires maintaining a steady hand on the tiller and adjusting your sails.
For example, Google now prefers websites that offer an excellent user experience (UX). This implies that your website’s usability, mobile appearance, and loading speed are more important than ever.
If you’re feeling a little lost, check out the link to Navigating Through Google’s Recent SEO Updates – it’s your go-to compass in the ever-changing world of SEO.
Think of your website like a store. You wouldn’t have a confusing layout or useless service in a physical store, and the same is true for an online storefront. SEO finesse begins with simplicity, such as crystal-clear navigation, a plethora of persuasive and instructive content, and some clever keywords scattered throughout like fairy dust.
From there, you may go into details like as image optimisation (ensuring that images aren’t so enormous that they slow down your site) and ensuring that each page has a specific function.
If you’re itchin’ to start enhancing your digital habitat, snag some pearls of wisdom from Enhancing Your Website’s SEO: The Basics.
Even the most daring adventurers require a guide while exploring new territory. And in the wilds of SEO, it pays to have a reliable ally who knows every nook and cranny of the terrain.
BrisTechTonic is not your typical SEO agency. We’ll take you under our wing and decipher the enigmatic hieroglyphs of Google’s algorithms with sophisticated knowledge and a pleasant wink. Our desire is to help your company advance in the search rankings with a plan designed specifically for you.
Eager to get the gears turning on your website’s SEO potential? Look no further than unlocking your future success with Unlocking SEO Potential for Beginners.
So, if you’re ready to unfurl the sails on your SEO voyage, why not book in for a discovery call? We’ll chat about your needs and plot a course for your online triumph. Until then, keep your wits about you and your SEO sharp!
Welcome to the digital labyrinth, where SEO mysteries are more complicated than Spaghetti Junction on a Friday afternoon. But do not be afraid! We’re here to light the way for your online adventure, much like a trusted flashlight in the depths of Wookey Hole.
Imagine SEO as the High Street of the digital world. It’s where you set up your shop (a.k.a. your website) to get the most footfall. Only, in this bustling metropolis, footfall is driven by the all-seeing eyes of search engines. Now, let’s Discover the essentials of SEO with our beginner’s guide and turn browsers into buyers!
Before you start building your digital empire, you should learn the fundamentals of SEO for your new firm. Here is the groundwork:
Keywords: These are the ‘Open for Business’ signs that catch your attention. These are the terms your prospective clients are feverishly putting into Google.
Content: The king, queen, and the entire royal procession. Quality content not only engages your target audience, but it also pleases Google.
Meta Tags: No, not a new superhero team, but important text snippets that inform search engines about the content of each page of your cyber castle.
Backlinks: These are your high-street recommendations. The more credible the source, the higher your street cred in the digital hood.
SEO is similar to a superb Bristol brew in that the appropriate ingredients must steep together to produce the ideal cup of tea. So, let us jumpstart your digital success with this simple SEO guide and propel your brand from startup to superstar.
On-page SEO is about making your store as attractive as possible from the start. This entails having a clear indication (your title tag), an appealing display (your photos and formatting), and an attractive pitch. It’s where you can learn about SEO: A beginner’s tutorial for those looking to impress passersby.
Off-page SEO is the equivalent of positive gossip; it’s how you get people talking about your business in the outside world. Earning backlinks from credible sites is like the local newsagent saying, “That’s a fine establishment!” It’s an important step towards unlocking the secrets of SEO for your growing business.
As any wise explorer knows, a map is essential. Let’s plot the course to Navigate the world of SEO: A starter kit for small businesses, marking the key destinations and avoiding the peckish trolls lurking beneath the bridges.
If your company is the large fish in a small pond, local SEO guarantees you don’t slip away. It’s about claiming your area on ‘Google My Business,’ and ensuring that when locals search ‘near me,’ your shop appears as a beacon on their digital map.
Consider technical SEO to be your tech team working in the background. They’re responsible for guaranteeing that your site’s rigging does not collapse during the performance. From loading times to mobile responsiveness, the unsung hero keeps the show running smoothly. By paying attention here, you will ensure that you start your SEO journey with our thorough beginner’s guide.
When you combine creativity and statistics, you have the recipe for online enchantment. It’s time to make your mark online with practical SEO ideas for new businesses and create a website that Harry Potter would be proud of.
Once your potions are bubbling beautifully, you should test their potency. Tools such as Google Analytics allow you to see how your audience interacts with your material. This knowledge allows you to fine-tune your spells for optimal effectiveness.
Remember that in the world of SEO, patience is more than a virtue; it is a requirement. Results may not be immediate, but with a persistent technique, you will see your online riches grow.
Ready to make your digital aspirations a reality? Embrace these simple SEO methods for new businesses and watch your brand ascend the ranks of Google’s enormous library.
For those willing to learn the intricacies of SEO and move their organisation forward, the adventure is only beginning. Remember, you don’t have to go through this digital journey alone. If you want to learn more about SEO for your growing business, schedule a discovery call. Together, we’ll devise a customised plan to make the Google gods smile upon your website.
🌸Towards Change Exhibition for Inclusive Advertising🌸
We are thrilled to announce a showcase of civic powers to transform advertising content from controversial to inclusive messaging from our workshops we’ve conducted to the public every week.
See the fusion of social, academic, and advertising industry unravels the impact of stereotypes in advertising and provide a platform for dialogue, learning, and change.
This exhibition is proudly sponsored by Launch, a Google Premier Partner and two-time winner of Europe’s Best Small PPC Agency. Thanks to their generous support, admission is free, making it accessible to everyone interested in exploring this transformative display.
🌸Speaker Session (18:00 – 19:00)
Carol Watson, Chief Inclusion Officer at BCW ( Global Agency)
Dan Srokosz, Creative Director, AgencyUK
Megan Gibson, Paid Media Director, AgencyUK
Dr. Junko Yamashita, Professor at the University of Bristol
Ms. Samantha Ford, Marketing lecturer at the University of Bristol
🌸Comments are from
Polly Wyn Jones, Kantar Global Knowledge Manager, Creative & Media
Nendra van Wielink-Mohamed, Global Media Practitioner
Dr. Terrell Carver, Professor of Political Theory at the University of Bristol
Joyann Boyce, TedX Speaker, Founder AI Consultancy
Olu Osinoiki – 📸 Wedding Photographer
Bristol-based CRM agency Flourish has just turned 20 – and it’s got a fresh new perspective.
As the agency prepares for life beyond its teens, it’s taken stock of the last two decades. Born in Bristol, Flourish quickly established itself as a go-to for direct mail campaigns, winning the likes of Sky, The National Lottery and Chelsea Building Society while still in its infancy. Flourish has since built on that direct marketing heritage, working across multiple channels and industries – and crucially, at all points of the customer journey. At the heart of its success is a belief that every journey – no matter how small – is just as important as the destination. That there is adventure in every journey.
And so, Adventure in Every Journey is born. A fresh proposition for an agency long obsessed with forging lasting relationships and creating meaningful customer journeys.
Executive Creative Director Kim Martin explains how they got there, “We’ve worked with so many incredible brands over the years, in so many industries and channels. No matter what we did and who we did it for the thing that ties them all together is our ability to drive people to take an action. With changes in the market and the increased reliance on first party and zero party data it feels like the right time to formalise our offering. Adventure in Every Journey does that perfectly.”
He adds, “When you’re obsessed with customer journeys, how you get where you’re going is just as important as the end destination”.
Flourish will also launch a refreshed brand to reflect their new positioning and prepare for a new era.
The transformation comes hot on the heels of a remarkable 2023 for Flourish, having seen notable growth and achievements. In the last 18 months, the agency has won numerous clients, including Nissan, Pai skincare and Wonderbly, and seen their usual scope of work expand into channels like TV for both Hey!Broadband and Crisis.
They’ve also welcomed a growing roster of green businesses – EV.Energy, ecoegg and Artemis to name a few.
“The agency’s 20th birthday is a massive milestone for us” said Managing Director Ian Reeves. “We’ve grown up a lot in the last couple decades, and I’m immensely proud of what we’ve become. I’m excited for the future too – with big ambitions to expand globally while changing the industry for the better alongside partners like Email Marketing Consortium, and as part of the Harbour Group.
If you’d like to find out more about Flourish Customer Journey Marketing, or would like to meet the team please get in touch with [email protected].
Greetings from the mysterious world of search engine optimisation (SEO), where achieving online presence might resemble trying to find a needle in a digital haystack. But do not worry! With the help of my beginner-friendly SEO copywriting ideas, your website will rise in the search results faster than you can say “Google it.”
If you believe that SEO is merely a fancy Silicon Valley acronym, let’s take a closer look. Search engine optimisation, or SEO, is the process of making your website as appealing to search engines (such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo) as well as to actual customers who are actually looking for your services. In this sense, copywriting refers to crafting content for your website that not only educates visitors but also persuades them and helps it rank well. Putting the two together? You’ve just turned into a copywriting pro at SEO.
You must first familiarise yourself with keywords. Your potential clients are typing these little jewels into search engines. Keywords are the road map to your wealth of material, regardless of whether your audience is searching for SEO experts or the greatest vegan restaurant in Bristol (hint, hint). However, it goes beyond simply packing them across your website like candy. The secret to drawing both humans and Google bots to your writing is to skillfully include them into your text.
Do some study on keywords before you go out. Determine the terms and expressions that best describe your company’s offerings and the queries of your target market. To choose your perfect keywords, use resources such as Google Keyword Planner or ask yours truly on a discovery call.
Your writing should sound human (which it should), but it should also have the technical polish that attracts the attention of search engines. This entails producing interesting, pertinent, and educational content that seamlessly integrates your keywords. Don’t fill your text with keywords; this isn’t 2005.
Consider the structure of your website as the backbone that holds everything together. Not only do headings and subheadings (H1s, H2s, H3s, oh my!) help readers easily scan your content, but they also serve as indicators to search engines regarding the order in which your information is presented. Your headline gig is your main heading; it should be attention-grabbing and contain your core keyword.
Make thoughtful use of headers to help readers and search engines navigate your material. Every heading ought to be pertinent and contain keywords without being repetitive. The secret is to get search bots and readers both to stay on your page for the duration of the presentation.
Let’s use some linking strategies to take your company to new heights next. Similar to your website’s hidden passageways and trapdoors, internal and external links direct users to helpful material and demonstrate to search engines that you are a well-respected authority in your industry.
Maintaining visitor engagement and building authority are two benefits of a strong linking strategy. In order to maintain readers’ interest for longer, provide internal links throughout your text and link to reliable websites (hey, credibility!).
Stale bread? No thanks. The content of your website is no different. Maintain it current, unique, and new. Both search engines and people enjoy fresh content. Thus, you can maintain a healthy and strong rating by periodically updating your blog or sprinkling case studies across it.
Similar to your favourite soap opera, regular publishing will keep viewers interested. To make sure you’re always offering up the tastiest, most delicious digital material, create a content schedule.
Nobody wants to converse into a void on a digital device. You’re having a conversation rather than just crawling into the void when you use SEO copywriting. Thus, become an expert in SEO-friendly copywriting by making sure your material is readable, valuable to your audience, and scannable. Bold writing, bullet points, and brief paragraphs can draw attention to your pearls of wisdom.
Now that you have the map, it’s time to set off on your journey to reach Search Mountain’s summit. When creating a blog article highlighting the best Bristolian jewels or a ‘About’ page that extols your virtues, keep in mind to carefully consider the keywords you use and the structure you develop. If you are in need of a specialist to guide the way and unlock the infinite possibilities of your website, a discovery call is just a click away. Forward and upward to the highest point in sight!
2024 is now truly underway – and so are Google’s attempts to avoid further legal challenges from the EU regarding how it uses user data. After January’s update on consent management for those serving ads, the next step is a crackdown on advertisers and pushing the adoption of Consent Mode V2.
Consent Mode V2 was introduced in November 2023 as the update to Google’s initial version of consent mode. The first version of consent mode prevents Google from tracking pixels (tags) firing until the user gives consent. It also offered a general model for advertisers to estimate conversions for those users who haven’t consented.
Consent Mode V2 works differently. Rather than not firing Google tags until the user has consented, Google tags’ behaviour now changes, depending on the user’s consent status. This means that tags for users who haven’t consented do not set cookies or share identifying information used for personalised marketing. However, marketers are able to get a better understanding of their site’s overall performance than they would with the previous version.
Many advertisers will have seen the threat of suspensions and inability to use Google Ads’ remarketing capabilities if they do not start sending consent signals alongside their tracking hits. Google Ads accounts have shown warning messages to users with a deadline of March 6th 2024.
Either version of consent mode can be used to send consent signals, but the additional benefits of having more detailed conversion modelling provide marketers with a better understanding of site and channel performance. You’re also given more data for Google Ad platforms that can help optimise campaigns.
There are two things advertisers will need to do to become compliant. Advertisers need to make sure that they obtain consent from users when tracking them on a website or app. They’ll also need to make sure that they seek consent and send that consent data to Google when uploading offline data – something they’ve been able to do since October 2023 if they’re using the Google Ads API v15 or newer.
At Loom, we’ve been making sure our clients have been using consent mode even before the latest updates. For those who are reluctant to start using it solely for the measurement benefits, Google’s warnings will definitely be the last push to ensure that it’s implemented.
These changes are happening concurrently with the phasing out of third-party cookies. Most notably, Google Chrome is phasing out third-party cookies by the end of the year, potentially as early as Q3. However, I’d be hesitant to believe any Google commitments on phasing out cookies, given that in 2021 they said they’d look to phase them out in mid to late 2023.
Third-party cookies, unlike first-party cookies, are ones that are set and can be read by another site, meaning they’re used for personalised marketing purposes. Without the use of personalised advertising capabilities that rely on third-party cookies, marketers will have to increase their first-party data collection, and use this data to target audiences that they may have previously looked to reach by relying on third-party cookies. First-party data can be collected through various methods like gated content, newsletter sign-ups or loyalty programs. These all require the user to submit personal information, such as an email address, which can then be passed to an Ad platform (if the user has given consent to do so) for marketing purposes.
Written by: Lukas Beeler, Data & Analytics at Loom Digital
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