B2B and B2C brands are often assumed to be very different. One big assumption is that B2C brands are bought on emotions and B2B brands are bought on logic. This is partly, but not wholly true. B2B brands are actually also purchased emotionally, but on different emotions to B2C. B2B brands need to focus on generating emotions around things like reducing risk and increasing efficiency.
The Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz wasn’t originally designed with a heart because he’s, well, a machine. Yet it was the heart he wanted and inevitably needed. Are brands in a similar position?
Everyone knows what a brand is, and few consumers do not have a few favorite brands for which they will pay a premium price or exert extraordinary effort to obtain. Consumers routinely talk about “loving” a brand or feeling incomplete without a specific brand. Such comments reflect more than just familiarity or loyalty; they suggest a deep emotional attachment. Despite such common experiences, the process of creating a strong brand remains mysterious and the value...
Imagine for a minute the experience consumers encounter when grocery shopping. As they enter a store or navigate online, in any given category, people will contend with similar product stories and formulations or ingredient claims alongside similar product packaging. Given the continued proliferation of brands, flavors, and forms, it can be a bit of a blur, perhaps bordering on confusing.
An angry undercurrent of frustration with brands haunts the marketplace.
