It has been a month since you began considering buying that laptop. At $800 more than other models, it seemed extravagant, even ridiculous. You walk into the store, only to return after an hour—your wallet lighter, but you are satisfied. Happy, in fact. You didn’t just buy a laptop; you invested in a piece of your dreams.
How do brands turn rationality into emotion-driven purchases? The secret lies in brand connection. Winning brands harness transformative creativity to forge this bond, driving positive impacts on individuals, businesses, and society.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, creativity isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a game changer. For B2B companies in saturated markets, transformative creativity serves as a catalyst for innovation and brand enhancement.
Brand is more important than ever today, as highlighted by dentsu's Superpowers Index report. This emphasises the growing need for transformative creativity in B2B, which offers many advantages. B2B brands need to capitalise on brand building, creating brand strategies that build trust and expertise. New B2B playbooks need to be built on the foundations of an integrated buyer experience. Winning brands need to harness technology to win in storytelling to ace personalisation and meet buyers where they are.
What does transformative creativity mean for businesses? Let us hear it from Farrokh Madon, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu APAC. An award-winning creative leader, Farrokh has spent three decades using storytelling to drive unique brand experiences that resonate with audiences.
In this Q&A blog, we’ll explore how brands can shift from rational communication to emotionally resonant storytelling. While data-driven strategies have their place, transformative creativity taps into the emotional needs of your audience, uncovering hidden opportunities.
1. What does transformative creativity mean in the context of B2B marketing?
Transformative creativity holds great potential in B2B marketing—it boosts brand value and creates exponential growth for clients.
2. How can B2B marketers identify opportunities for transformative creativity in their campaigns?
Marketers need to look for the hidden opportunity between what’s out there and what the audience desires. Sometimes communications can be oh-too-logical. Every audience has an emotional need. Find it. Connect how your product or service meets that need. And suddenly, you will find an idea with the power to transform business.
3. Can you share an example of how dentsu helped a B2B brand successfully leverage transformative creativity?
Our global relaunch for Lenovo ThinkStations spotted the opportunity to connect with creators and fulfil their desire for a powerful workstation that can turn their ideas into reality. Our ‘Think Anything, Make Everything’ campaign was highly successful for the clients. It also picked up four Gold Awards at the Global ACE Awards in the USA, including in key categories like Best Brand Launch/Relaunch and Best Integrated Marketing Campaign.
4. What common challenges do B2B marketers face when trying to implement creative strategies? How can they overcome these challenges?
The temptation to be overly rational is the speed bump B2B marketers have to overcome. We can’t forget that 90% of human decisions are based on emotion. And 95% of purchase decisions are subconscious. B2B audiences are not cyborgs. They are humans too and we should talk to them in a way that also connects emotionally with them.
5. What are the key skills B2B marketers need to cultivate to thrive in this creative landscape?
B2B marketers should keep an open mind and not hold on to old habits. Data should inform, but not decide all communications. Humans are wired for emotional responses, and we need to build brands on emotional building blocks. In our daily lives, we make decisions emotionally. But use rational arguments to justify them. We should never forget that.
6. How do you see transformative creativity evolving in the B2B space over the next few years?
Slowly but surely, brands will turn to a big creative idea as the engine that transforms their business. Effectively, data delivery will be the fuel needed to bring the idea to market. But the big emotionally resonant idea will become the powerful engine.
7. What advice would you give to B2B marketers who feel stuck in traditional marketing approaches?
Many B2B marketers prize efficiency in communications over all else. While efficiency is certainly essential and indispensable, it is like playing a game in a way that ensures your team won’t lose. But if you are playing to win, you need creativity to lead the way.
8. How can B2B companies balance being creative with showing results?
Allocate a certain percentage of your budget to innovation and try new ways to connect with your audience. So, while you are getting the efficiency and results you need today, you are also firing up your brand’s engine for transformative growth tomorrow.
9. If there’s one thing B2B marketers need to remember, what would it be?
Often marketers can get into the trap of thinking, “Oh, I love it, but the audience won’t like it since they are more rational.’ I don’t know a person who doesn’t like music and movies, doesn’t have a hobby and doesn’t laugh or cry. B2B marketers should stop justifying communications they wouldn’t connect with themselves.
10. In recognition of our Superpowers Index report released in August, what would be your special superpower if you could choose anything?
A superpower everyone should have must be the one to look before you leap. Be informed before you bravely leap into the marketplace. But leap, you must. The creative leap is what will transform your brand.
