Introduction: B2B branding is no longer optional
In recent years, B2B marketers have seen a significant shift in priorities: brand and reputation initiatives are no longer “nice to have” but have become mission-critical.
Traditionally, B2B focused heavily on demand generation and short-term revenue attribution. Branding was often viewed as a luxury and was usually seen as something for the budget surplus (but not a growth driver). But with today’s buyers navigating increasingly complex, non-linear journeys, this mindset is shifting fast.
Modern buyers don’t wait for a sales conversation to make up their minds. They research independently, compare silently, and often form their opinion before even reaching out. For this reason, your brand and reputation have to do the selling for you, long before the sales teams even get a shot.
As Kerry Cunningham (Head of Research and Thought Leadership, 6sense) puts it: “The role of reputation marketing is much bigger than we give it credit for, and it always has been.”
Your brand more than just a logo or color palette: it's a signal of trust, relevance, and alignment. Shaping it is crucial if you want to avoid leaving opportunities and revenue on the table.
In this blogpost, we’ll talk about branding and reputation, which are terms often interchangeably used in B2B. However, they’re not the same thing. According to Gartner, brand refers to the intentional effort an organization makes to shape perceptions while reputation is how stakeholders actually perceive the brand based on their real experiences. While distinct, they are deeply connected. A strong brand strategy helps shape and reinforce the experiences that build a positive reputation. And a good reputation gives your brand the credibility it needs to grow.
Reputation is more than just a tactic: it’s a strategy
B2B means selling to companies, but really it’s still selling to people. And today’s decision-makers expect more than just rational case studies and spec sheets. They want to feel something. This is why reputation and brand must be strategic, not tactical. Brands need to be positioned intentionally, rooted in buyer insights, and consistent across touchpoints.
Unfortunately, many B2B brands still suffer from mismanagement, such as generic messaging, templated visuals, or inconsistent tone. These things chip away at trust, even when the product or service is strong.
Take early-stage content: the so-called top-of-funnel (TOFU). These pieces introduce your brand to potential buyers. They’re your first impression. If they feel generic, impersonal, or disconnected, buyers may move on without ever engaging further.
A big part of the solution lies in grounding your brand in deep audience research. Understand your buyer group’s values, pain points, and context, and then building messaging and positioning that resonates and informs. When reputation becomes a strategic foundation rather than an afterthought, everything else becomes more effective: content, campaigns, and sales enablement.
From corporate to human: the rise of anti-corporate branding
According to Forrester, 77% of purchase influencers consider brand awareness when deciding whether to trust an organization. Furthermore, 83% of global influencers are more likely to stay with brands they trust. So what does this mean?
Your brand cannot affort to miss the moment. The era of rigid, buttoned-up B2B branding is ending. In its place? Anti-corporate branding – a movement toward more authentic, personable, and emotionally resonant brand experiences.
B2B is increasingly taking cues from B2C. We see an increasing number of B2B brands that speak with personality, ditch the cliché buzzwords, showcase more than just their products, and tell stories on top of their value proposition. This shift reflects what buyers actually want: a connection. They don’t trust faceless corporations, but rather people, stories, and brands that feel real.
Modern B2B brands embrace the use of emotional messaging (including trends such as nostalogia or futurism).
Creativity, Content, and the Visual Identity of B2B
Let’s talk about creativity and some of the ways you can express it through brand assets to amplify your brand experience.
Visual identity that connects
Design-forward B2B companies are ditching the bland and the boring. Instead, they’re building visual ecosystems that prioritise originality, experiment with color and animations, build recognition across touchpoints, and reflect their audience’s world (and not just the company product or service). Essentially, your brand’s visual language should make people feel something and help them remember you.
Content-led branding
Along with visuals, you need to think about your content: is it currently acting as the voice of your brand or merely sharing information about your product or service?
Whether it’s a podcast, blog, whitepaper, or newsletter, every piece of content builds or erodes trust. B2B companies are treating content as a brand asset, not just a lead-gen tool. Content should be consistent in tone, visually aligned, and written with insight. Once it becomes an expression of the brand, it can become a trusted driver. Buyer Insights help you understand whether your content resonates with the buying group members.
What about Gen Y and Gen Z? They’re already buying
Millennials (Gen Y) and Gen Z are no longer "up next" – they are already the dominant force in B2B buying committees. According to Forrester, Millennials and Gen Zers (born after 1980) have become the majority of B2B buyers, at 71%.
These buyers grew up in the digital age, research independetly, and bring new expectations to the table, such as a seamless buying process, experiential value and the opportunity to collaborate and co-create. Early in in their buyer journey, it should be made clear to them that your organisation is authentic, provides a seamless digital experience and provides evidence for community validation.
Conclusion
Brand is no longer the soft layer on top of a hard sales strategy. It is part and parcel of the strategy. Reputation initiatives are what helps you be part of your audience’s buyer journey. Content is what will connect you to your audience. Design is what will help you distinguish yourself from competition at first glance. And the buyer – often Millennial or Gen Z – expects it all to feel genuine.
The question isn’t whether to invest in brand and reputation. The question is whether your brand is helping or hurting your revenue potential – before you even get to speak.
Are you ready to find out more? Contact us to get started.
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