Author: NB Team

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Why daring to ditch fear creates a distinct advantage 

You can’t safely go where no-one’s gone before. 

There’s a silent killer that’s been stalking the B2B marketing world for years now. It’s not AI. It’s not dwindling budgets. It’s not a lack of appetite for content. It’s dullness. Dull, boring B2B. And that’s because too many brands play it safe in a market where complexity reigns.  

The intricate nature of B2B transactions means brands tend to choose bland, inoffensive messaging over ‘take-notice’ creativity to avoid confusion. Or mistake professionalism for a trunk full of jargon. And even opt for carbon copy sameness based on a competitor’s perceived success. The result? Buyers can’t distinguish one brand from another. 

But no-one wins big by playing it safe. B2B brands need to care more about being memorable and distinctive. That’s when serious sales happen. As part of our ongoing series on the importance of distinctiveness in marketing, let’s turn our attention to emotion – and one in particular. 

The fear factory setting 

It’s a universal truth that an emotional pull is the most effective form of persuasion. By creating that personal driver, there’s suddenly an emotional investment backing up what might otherwise be a dry, rational buying decision.  

But there’s a worrying trend where brands – specifically B2B – are becoming overly reliant on just one emotion: fear. Whether that’s done by creating scarcity or simple urgency, we see it everywhere now with campaigns warning B2B buyers “don’t get left behind” or “act quickly before it’s too late.”  

Marketers are continually tapping into the ‘fear factor’ because B2B typically involves bigger purchases than B2C, and thus bigger risks. Higher stakes, more hoops to jump through and more decision makers to please give rise to the fear of getting it wrong. There’s a fear of causing economic loss, experiencing professional embarrassment or being sent to the back of the competitive queue. And, of course, there’s now loads of tech-fuelled FOMO in this space.  

Naturally, many B2B brands now rest their hat on promoting themselves as the safest choice in the face of business hardship. While this currency of reassurance can be effective, it’s a mistake to think fear should be the go-to emotion for every campaign.  This default strategy means businesses are missing out on the full kaleidoscope of emotions to engage audiences – where’s the joy, amusement, surprise, even envy? Take the most successful B2C campaigns, the ones that stay in your memory for months, even years. They use a range of emotions. Some might cause alarm, but they also make you smile, laugh, tear-up, gasp… and that’s why B2C is often more exciting and enticing.  

There’s a curious irony here – fearmongering itself has become the safe option. Lots of brands are banking on using the ‘fear factor’ for sales conversion but are too reluctant to explore alternative marketing methods themselves. So, at the end of the working day, fear is no longer very distinctive. 

What difference does distinctiveness make anyway?  

If sales success is the ‘what’, then distinctiveness is the ‘how’. By diversifying the way they harness different emotions, B2B brands can foster deeper relationships with buyers.  

Using a broader range of emotions not only provides a more balanced and compelling narrative, but also reflects a more nuanced understanding of B2B decision makers – who are, after all, people who experience all these emotions. And people are often not very logical or rational in their motivations.  

B2B purchasers are almost 50% more likely to buy a product or service when they see personal value — such as opportunity for career advancement1. 

Google’s 2012 findings about B2B buyers still ring true today. It’s that personal value, established through an emotional connection, which keeps buyers invested. And how did that come about? By being distinctly memorable and relevant – with inspiring content that doesn’t just rely on the one-trick-pony of jeopardy, but deeply resonates with the right audience, at the right time.  

Evoking different emotional responses in decision makers helps you cut through the market. It’s not about being brave. Or being different for the sake of it. It’s about recognising that a set of distinctive brand assets leads to top-of-mind awareness. 

So, when your next creative campaign opportunity comes knocking, try branching out from familiar territories where your scope for impact is limited. Because once your brand nails this distinctive quality in its marketing, you’ll start to truly stand out. 

Keen to know how to make your B2B content emotionally compelling and break boundaries?

Sign up for the next piece in our distinctiveness campaign. 

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What type of bland are you?

Get ready to dive back into the world of brand distinctiveness with some exciting insights from Breaking B2B Boundaries. 

It’s not every day you see Taylor Swift, Dishoom, and Boris Johnson mentioned in the same breath, especially when discussing B2B branding. But we’ve crafted an intriguing exploration on how to break away from the bland and make your marketing unforgettable.

As part of our ongoing campaign on the importance of content distinctiveness, this edition helps you avoid common dull mistakes—from the “stuck next to at a dinner party” kind of boring to the “political playing to the crowd” type of dull.

Curious to find out what type of bland you are?

Download our guide and dive in to discover more!

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The Cost of Being Dull

All Beige Everywhere 

Well-meaning attempts to optimise marketing has created a wave of mediocre content. Marketing materials – from copy to designs and concepts – now often take on a cookie-cutter look and feel. This approach naturally nudges everything towards the middle ground, stripping away most elements of character and creativity. 

Throw in the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and others, which are now being increasingly used to churn out AI-generated content, and ‘samey-ness’ and uniformity have become the common replacement for the distinctive or idiosyncratic. One thing is now more evident than ever – having a unique voice puts you in the minority.  

The Rise of the Dull-bots 

Algorithms have become agents of endless repetition, feeding their propensity to serve us more of the same. Faced with increasing pressure each year to deliver ever-improving results, brands are taking fewer risks, often happy to stick to the same ‘safe’ ideas. 

Typically, there’s a tendency for brands to focus too narrowly on performance marketing metrics. These metrics cater to in-market buyers and assume a level of pre-existing engagement. As a result, marketers frequently fall into the trap of repeatedly serving the blandest thing on the menu.  

This cautious approach creates a paradox. Historically safe approaches – like hedging bets and not taking strong positions on divisive topics – have become the riskier option. In an environment where differentiation is key, following a well-trodden path is likely to leave you wandering in circles. 

Ultimately, this mentality saps the excitement from creative ideas. It also dilutes their impact, reducing complex, nuanced content to a mere number that determines success or failure. 

The Price of Being Like Everyone Else 

Brands must realise that mediocrity comes with a price. While it may seem that ‘playing it safe’ saves or even generates money, in fact the reverse is true.  

Boring advertisements could cost advertisers £10 million more to get the same share of voice impact as more engaging ads. Simply put, if you’re willing to spend an extra £10 million for the same effect, then being boring might seem justifiable. 

As the world of marketing grows more competitive, even brands with a monopoly on their industry can’t rely solely on their budgets to capture the largest market share. The crucial currency today is not money – it’s intrigue. This remains the only effective antidote to the pervasiveness of dullness. 

Want to know how to make content that avoids the dull trappings?

Follow us for the next piece in our content distinctiveness campaign. Next week you’ll be able to read our latest blog that outlines the specific types of dullness that exist in the marketing world right now and ways you can break away. 

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Welcome to Breaking B2B Boundaries

B2B marketing has long been thought of as B2C’s unattractive sibling. 

But, we’re challenging this stereotype head-on with our thrilling new thought leadership series, Breaking B2B Boundaries. In today’s saturated market, not only is it crucial to stand out—it’s essential to thrive. 

Get ready because, over the next several months, we’ll be your guide through the complex terrain of building a standout brand identity. We’re armed with groundbreaking insights from industry leaders, actionable strategies from our foremost experts, and the latest trends analysed through rigorous scientific research. Expect comprehensive discussions covering everything from; crafting engaging content that resonates with your audience, to implementing the most effective digital marketing techniques, to deploying sophisticated communication strategies that cut through the digital noise. 

Our journey will begin with a deep dive into the concept of brand distinctiveness—what it means, why it matters, and how you can achieve it in your own B2B endeavours. If you believe, like we do, that B2B marketing harbours immense untapped potential, then you won’t want to miss what we have in store. 

Join us as we slice through the mundane and chart new territories in business innovation. With Breaking B2B Boundaries, we’re not just observing industry changes; we’re driving them. Let’s innovate, inspire and disrupt together. It’s time to transform B2B marketing and move towards exciting, new horizons.

Keep watching your emails, our website and socials for our content releases. Let’s make some noise together! 

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Nelson Bostock Shines in PR Week Top 150 League Tables 2024 

Hit the ‘exciting news’ klaxon!

2023 was a busy year. We had some remarkable campaign successes, we grew closer to our friends at TMW Business, and we burst into 2024 with the news that we’re joining the Accenture Song family!  

Through it all, the team have been working hard to deliver incredible results for our clients. And, with the release of the 2024 PR Week league tables, we’re excited to share that their hard work has been recognised. 

This year, we’ve earned stellar rankings in three critical categories. Each of them underscores our team’s relentless pursuit of excellence in public relations.  

So, without further ado…  

Take A Closer Look at Our Rankings 

  • Top 150 UK Consultancies: Ranked #60 
  • Top 150 UK B2B Consultancies: Ranked #32 
  • Top 150 UK Tech Consultancies: Ranked #9 

In the PR Week Top 150 Consultancies for 2024, we are honoured to hold the 60th position. This is not just a number—it reflects our robust client portfolio, the breadth of our expertise, and our unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding results. 

When it comes to B2B, we’re climbing even higher. This year, we secured the 32nd spot in the PR Week Top 150 B2B Consultancies Table. What does that mean? It means our agency’s dedication to building brand belief has been recognised. We’re experts in crafting tailored strategies that emphasize impactful storytelling and precise, effective outreach — and now you don’t need to just take our word for it.   

Maybe it’s bad to pick a favourite, but we’re most excited about our accomplishment in the PR Week Top 150 Tech Consultancies Table, where we are ranked… 9th! This placement within the Top 10 UK PR Tech agencies proves that we are a leading authority in technology PR, and recognises our innovative approach and deep industry knowledge. 

To consistently land in the top half of this who’s who of consultancy royalty is testament to the hard work, dedication, and the innovative spirit powering the teams behind the scenes here at Nelson Bostock. And we don’t intend to rest on our laurels.  

We are committed to continually setting the benchmark for excellence within the PR industry and providing strategic communication solutions that align with the evolving needs of our clients. 

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UNLIMITED acquired by Accenture Song

We are thrilled to announce that UNLIMITED has been acquired by Accenture. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in our journey, with a new future as part of Accenture Song.  After a period of sustained success, we are today joining the world’s largest tech-powered creative group.

Getting to know the Accenture Song team it has become clear we not only share the same vision for the future of marketing but have a shared passion for our people too. This acquisition brings an exciting opportunity to realise our longer-term ambitions for the agency as part of Accenture Song, and access a wealth of resources, insight, technology and the global network access that comes with the world’s largest tech powered creative group.

With our deep expertise in human understanding and our breadth of capabilities across comms, digital, marketing, insight and analytics, this acquisition enhances Accenture Song’s capabilities in driving marketing transformation and growth for our clients. 

We’re delighted to be all part of the Accenture Song family.

Click here for further details in our press release/to read what Campaign had to say

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The State of GenAI: Developments in Comms & Marketing

As we gear up to host the next chapter in our Humans vs Robots event series, we had the opportunity to sit down with our Group CTO, Tom Wilks, for an insightful discussion on AI trends. Our conversation covered recent advancements and shifts, practical applications, and the ways in which businesses are adapting to its integration since our last event in November.  

Across marketing and communications, leaders are shifting from cautious observation to active engagement with GenAI. This progression prompts crucial questions about the evolving partnership between humans and GenAI: What strategies ensure a positive-sum relationship? How can organisations steer clear of the common missteps in AI adoption? 

Read on to find out Tom’s perspective on these questions, and what the future holds for human-AI collaboration in the industry. 

Tom, since our last Humans vs. Robots event, how has the GenAI landscape evolved, particularly in the context of marketing and communications? 

In terms of AI development, five months can seem like a lifetime. Major players like OpenAI and Google have been quick to flex their latest and upcoming capabilities for 2024, albeit with a couple of notable missteps along the way. The marketing and communications industry is in the spotlight here as the rapid release of new platforms and tools directly impacts our everyday work – OpenAI’s soon-to-be-released Sora video generation platform being a prime example. These developments are nudging leaders in our industry to pay heed and consider accelerating the integration of these technologies into their strategies. Although there’s a natural inclination to proceed with caution, the fast-paced nature of GenAI advancements often means making important decisions with less-than-complete information. It’s really hard to build a coherent long-term strategy when you know that the ground is going to be continually shifting underneath you. 

Reflecting on the transition from ‘Experimenting with GenAI’ to ‘Strategising with GenAI,’ could you share insights on why a strategic approach is becoming increasingly important for businesses? 

Tech companies and startups are intensely vying to own this space – the competition is only going to increase and it’s an unenviable task to pick the winners. For brands adopting AI capabilities, this makes it challenging to commit to a single platform or strategy. The wisest option is to take a flexible yet strategic approach to GenAI adoption.  

As we shift from a ‘toe in the water’ to a more deliberate strategy phase, businesses need to be agile in their adoption of GenAI capabilities, while also ensuring their efforts are aligned with overarching business objectives.

As we shift from a ‘toe in the water’ to a more deliberate strategy phase, businesses need to be agile in their adoption of GenAI capabilities, while also ensuring their efforts are aligned with overarching business objectives. A strategic approach helps to concentrate resources on initiatives that promise the most significant impact as opposed to scattering efforts across disparate projects. Given the rapid pace of advancements in AI, incorporating flexibility into these strategic plans is crucial to adapt to the technological shifts that could render certain strategies obsolete in just a few months. 

Can you elaborate on the potential risks and opportunities for clients who either adopt or ignore a strategic approach to GenAI in their marketing efforts? 

From an internal perspective, I’d encourage marketing leaders to think broadly about GenAI use cases. Content creation has been an obvious area of focus thus far. However, companies may also find there’s huge value in implementing GenAI tools to enhance their team’s ability to understand and access information swiftly, massively reducing the time necessary to get from intention to result. Focusing on time-saving and better resource allocation allows for the setting of clear objectives and success metrics across the organisation. 

On the customer front, AI introduces the capability for personalisation at an unprecedented scale. Brands can achieve personalised engagement with their audience – such as tailoring messages to different audience demographics or geographies – without sacrificing reach, effectively addressing a dilemma that has long challenged marketers. The potential for creating personalised customer interactions without losing the ability to communicate broadly represents a significant leap forward in how we think about customer engagement. 

However, the journey towards leveraging AI strategically is not without its risks. The expansive potential of GenAI means it can be applied across a range of areas within an organisation, leading to the possibility of efforts becoming fragmented. This is a digital transformation challenge that any large organisation will be familiar with.  Without a unified strategic approach, teams might pursue individual goals with AI, leading to initiatives that, while meaningful in isolation, may not contribute to the overarching business objectives and could be challenging to measure for impact. 

With AI’s capabilities continually evolving, how should companies prepare their marketing teams to harness GenAI effectively and ethically? 

It’s vitally important for marketing teams to become technologically proficient in navigating GenAI while also staying true to high ethical standards. The first step towards effective preparation involves carefully aligning AI tools with their intended purposes. High expectations met with basic AI tools or simplistic prompts often lead to underwhelming results. This reality highlights the critical nature of choosing the right tools for specific marketing goals and ensuring the team has the necessary skills to fully exploit these technologies. 

Moreover, the evolving regulatory environment, alongside ethical considerations around data use, emphasises the need for responsibly navigating GenAI implementation. These factors underscore the importance of adopting a stance of transparency and accountability when deploying new technologies. In a time when AI misuse can significantly damage a brand’s reputation, it’s crucial to openly acknowledge the capabilities and limitations of GenAI initiatives and accept responsibility for their outcomes. 

Respecting the ownership of content used in AI models – especially custom models you’re developing in-house – poses another ethical challenge. As the industry seeks a balance between utilising AI for content generation and recognising intellectual property rights, finding a sustainable middle ground that respects creators’ rights while encouraging innovation is a necessity.  

Based on your experience, what are some persistent misconceptions about AI in marketing that you’d like to dispel? 

A common misconception that continues to surface is the belief that AI tools offer a one-size-fits-all solution. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is that the effectiveness of AI in marketing is deeply contingent upon selecting the right tools tailored to specific objectives and harnessing those tools to their utmost capacity. This misunderstanding highlights an urgent need for education and strategic thinking within the industry. 

Many approach GenAI with the expectation that any tool can automatically adapt to any marketing challenge, which leads to disappointment when results don’t meet expectations. Adopting AI alone won’t solve your marketing challenges; it’s about integrating it thoughtfully and strategically into marketing practices to address specific problems and achieve defined goals. 

Another overlooked aspect is the dynamic and evolving nature of AI technologies themselves. What works today may not be the best solution tomorrow, and what’s designed for one purpose might not be effective for another. Marketing professionals need to stay informed about the latest developments in GenAI technologies, understand their unique strengths and limitations, and be willing to turn their hand to new tools as they become available. 

Finally, looking towards the future, how do you envision the role of human creativity and insight evolving in partnership with GenAI technologies? 

The future of human creativity and GenAI technologies is equally thrilling and complex. From what we’ve experienced over the past year or so, it’s clear that our relationship with AI will not follow a linear path. Instead, we should anticipate cycles of acceptance and scepticism as AI’s capabilities continue to expand at an astonishing rate, with new breakthroughs emerging every 6-9 months. This rhythm of rapid advancement and integration will naturally bring its share of challenges, underlining the fact that our journey with GenAI will be tumultuous, marked by both incredible highs and inevitable lows. 

Despite these challenges, the possibilities are boundless and offer a source of great excitement. Identifying where AI can be used as a force multiplier for human efforts will not only enhance the scope of what we can achieve but also elevate the quality of our creative outputs. 

In the end, I envision a future where this partnership between human creativity and GenAI technologies creates a fertile ground for innovation and greater job satisfaction. The path may not always be smooth, but the potential for transforming how we tackle problems and find creative solutions is truly immense. 

=== 

As we look forward to exploring these themes further and uncovering new frontiers at the Humans vs Robots 3 event on Thursday 2nd May, 8:45-10:30am, we invite you to join us in this exciting journey. This is your opportunity to engage with those exploring and innovating at the forefront of GenAI and marketing. Whether you’re seeking to refine your strategy, discover the latest trends, or simply be inspired by the potential of GenAI, this promises to be a must-attend event for brands and professionals. Register now for Humans vs Robots 3 and secure your spot. 

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Winning Minds Awards: March 2024

Welcome back from the Easter break! Before the long weekend, we celebrated this past month’s best work…

PR Minds – Matt J

“Matt has been so impressive over the past month, really stepping up on his account and wowing the clients.

He’s been a machine, taking a reviews programme and running with it, securing new reviews weekly and flagging hot off the press coverage to the client team. He’s developed excellent relationships with our core journalists and played a key role in managing invites and chatting with journos at the launch event last week.

Matt is a PR legend and impresses us every week with his proactivity, product knowledge and superb attitude. A Winning Mind for sure!”

Kaleidoscope Minds – Hannah G

I think there should be a special medal (or even Damehood) for a person who volunteers to give up their weekend + a few evenings to deliver a client presentation on a complex subject.

Hannah is that person.

Truly going above and beyond to deliver for a tricky client. Hannah is a design superstar!

Marketing Minds – Louisa B

Louisa just pulled it all off with the delivery of a client’s annual research report – their ‘hotly anticipated’ project for the year. The project landed on her with a huge level of expectation and Lou delivered. She used her super organisational skillz and managed the international & local clients, our colleagues at Walnut and our own team to keep the project ticking along, on time, and on budget. The feedback kept coming as the client praised Lou’s collaborative approach and willingness to steer the project from the helm and honestly it just wouldn’t have happened without her. ❤

GOAT – Kerri B

Kerri has only been here a month and has impressed literally everyone under the sun. She’s efficient, she’s organised, she’s a vibe and all in all just a total boss. Big fan.

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Winning Minds Awards: February 2024

It’s time to celebrate this month’s standouts, who took Feb by storm with some incredible work to take home the prize.

GOAT – Sarah and Vicky

Sarah and Vicky make operations look easy. They are often having to herd centipedes to get diaries in order – you could liken it to glueing down ducks’ feet to get them into a row – and yet they manage it every time. We’d be a mess without them. 

PR Minds – Callan

Callan deserves all the praise for his amazing media relations and all-round PR prowess this month. There were incredible results from some news hijacking that scored top coverage and made the client very happy. Great work!

Kaleidoscope Minds – Lucy

Lucy is a creative dream to work with. She’s organised to a T and super collaborative, always coming up with great ideas. Not only that, but she stays agile and can-do in the face of rapid turnarounds and creates “literally perfect” copy – client services’ words, not mine! It’s a shame I couldn’t ask her to write this nomination (I’m sure the grammar would be better…) 

Marketing Minds – Jo M

Jo has played a significant role in the turnaround of a major account, and the recent increase in revenue is evidence of her hard work. She’s a worthy winner, and we’re all thrilled to have her. 

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Winning Minds Awards: January 2024

Happy new year! We’ve kicked off 2024 with some amazing work from our B2B team. Congratulations to this month’s award winners!

PR Minds – Fiona

I wanted to nominate Fiona, for her work leading the charge on our LNER deer story outreach. It deserves a big scream and shout!

This story ended up going live in the last week before we broke off before Christmas, which is a horrible week to be doing a big media push anyway, let alone doing it single-handedly. 

Despite these challenges, there is absolutely no stopping the media machine that is Fi. This queen took complete control and secured some OUTSTANDING national print/online hits with publications like the BBC, the Independent, the Mirror, and the Express. AND it doesn’t stop there, she even got an LNER spokesperson a broadcast slot on Sky News on CHRISTMAS EVE! 

We are working with LNER to raise the profile of their digital innovation stories, and for one of their tech projects to get this much coverage with such high profile titles was outstanding – our client was absolutely delighted with the results, and it was all thanks to Fiona’s hard work. 

Marketing Minds – Jo

Jo is such an incredible asset to the team. With some recent leavers she’s had so much to deal with on her own, and I can see how hard it must have been at times. However, standards haven’t dropped. I don’t know how she does it.

Kaleidoscope Minds – Dave

Dave is my nomination based on an excellent delivery of the Rockwell Automation ROKStudios work to date. He has so far managed a 100% clean sheet on client approval at first draft. Dave has also received excellent feedback from the senior client at Rockwell:

“Those guys are just awesome they nail it every time.”

“Dave just gets it, he is making it easy for us.”

Greatest Of All Time – Sam

We all know Sam is extremely good at the day job – amazing, unlikely, off-the-wall ideas that really work, combined with totally ingenious copy. But this shout out is because Sam always goes way, way above and beyond that. Many won’t know that Sam acts as an office manager for our Winnersh Triangle team, somehow fitting in all those responsibilities around her copy and concepting jobs. I only know the breadth of tasks she takes on from the expenses claims for biros, paper and office furniture I occasionally see. And then there’s all the ad hoc stuff Sam does to drive forward a brilliant culture. Loads of people are involved in the Flash Fiction group, where people respond to a brief with short stories, poems and other creative ideas. Plus we received this feedback only the other day:

“Sam is a one-off and is the very definition of a Winning Mind.”