As B2B brands seek to rise above the noise, a compelling promise to the customer is emerging as a potent force multiplier for effectiveness. New research from the LinkedIn B2B Institute and WARC confirms that making an explicit promise to customers is advantageous for brands and even more powerful for driving key metrics in the B2B space than in B2C.
In a cluttered marketplace where brands can start to blur together, a promise to the customer (PTTC) acts as a simple, customer-centric commitment that crystallizes the value proposition. The research found that B2B campaigns featuring an explicit PTTC significantly outperformed non-promise campaigns across brand health, market share growth, and penetration increases. Remarkably, just 18% of 703 analyzed B2B campaigns made an overt promise.
This lack of bold, focused value propositions means many B2B messages get lost as product-led clutter, despite the importance of branding for long-term success in B2B.
Their analysis showed PTTC campaigns were 48% more likely to improve brand health, regardless of budget, timing, or channel mix. By putting clear accountability to the customer first, a PTTC allows marketers to rally stakeholders around an easily understood framework delivering on the marketing fundamentals.
Global Industrial - We Can Supply That.
The power of a PTTC is exemplified in our case study for Global Industrial, a 70-year-old industrial supply company facing concerns about potential sales attrition due to market pressures and the rise of Amazon in the B2B space. After extensive research, Animaré Agency recognized that the industrial supply business was shifting from product-centric transactions to people-centric relationships, with procurement managers seeking close partnerships with vendors. To establish a memorable position, Animaré pivoted Global Industrial's focus from merely selling products to "transforming buyers into business champions."
This realization led to the "We Can Supply That" campaign. This rallying cry acknowledged Global Industrial's heritage of industry expertise and customer-centric service, exemplified by its vast product selection. The campaign humanized the brand, engaging the audience with warmth, humor, and a genuine human touch.
Animaré's digital strategy not only exposed the brand to non-users but also generated immediate revenue that covered the media cost through increased transactions. Notably, the agency's analytics team substantiated that customers and prospects exposed to the campaign had higher average order values than those who were unexposed.
By repositioning Global Industrial as a trusted partner that delivers industrial-strength service, Animaré demonstrated the power of a well-executed PTTC in driving tangible business results and fostering long-term brand health.
Business First Bank - Banking with Greater Momentum
We also introduced the bank’s first-ever digital advertising campaign. The objective of our marketing effort was to drive awareness among small- to medium-sized business owners and influencers to generate commercial leads ultimately. The campaign served as a metaphor for the notion that Business First Bank helps a business gain momentum in everything it undertakes. With our display ads, we achieved an average $7.15 cost per click (20% lower than industry averages for B2B campaigns) and a 25% conversion rate. The videos were seen more than one million times at a 69% video completion rate (VCR)–a strong indicator of awareness. Our dedicated email campaign achieved 35% open rates (200% above average open rates for list rentals) with an average 2.5% click-through rate and $1.61 cost per click.
For 30 years, we’ve helped transform more than 100 brands in just about every business category using innovative brand strategies and compelling advertising campaigns for a proven marketing ROI. Our agency mission is to build stronger brands. Our weapons are consumer insight, product and marketing innovation, and sheer imagination. At Animaré, we offer strategic brainpower for differentiating your brand and creative firepower to make your message stand out from the sea of sameness. Equal parts thoughtful and nimble. A place where industry veterans and rising stars all feel right at home.
We team up with some of the accomplished stars of marketing and advertising, with a priority to nurture diversity in the industry. A culturally connected strategic unit is created and tailored to meet your specific needs. You don’t get endless layers or full-time facilitators. You’ll only get what you need. You pay for only what you need.