How to Unlock the Real Commercial Value in a B2B Brand
Too many B2B businesses still fall short of understanding how to unlock the commercial value of one of their most valuable business assets, their brand. They don’t look beyond the logo on their business card to see the bigger picture that their brand represents – and the bigger impact their brand can make.
In a world of business that is transforming right under our feet, branding has never been more valuable when it comes to enabling B2B brands to drive home their competitive advantage, win customers, and engage employees.
Learn how to take a hands-on approach to building your B2B brand, don’t leave it to the logo.
4. FutureBrand
Business Roundtable
1997
The principal
objective of a
business enterprise
is to generate
economic returns
to its owners.
Business Roundtable
2019
We share a
fundamental
commitment to all
of our stakeholders.
Customers. Employees.
Suppliers. Communities.
Shareholders.
4
5. 5
We’re in business
to make profit but
it’s the way we do
business that
defines us.
FutureBrand
7. FutureBrand 7
How might we unlock a
brand’s commercial value?
“I undervalue things that
are harder to quantify.”
– Investments Manager
8. FutureBrand 8
How might we unlock a
brand’s commercial value?
“I undervalue things that
are harder to quantify.”
– Investments Manager, Financial Services
9. Buy fromWork for
9
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
I would like to work for this company
26% average
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
I would buy from this company
33% average
Source: FutureBrand Index, 2018
Quantifying the value of brands
FutureBrand
10. Among organisations
with high purpose
scores, there were
more than twice
as many top TSR
performers as
low performers.
– BCG, 2017
10
Quantifying the purpose-performance pay-off
FutureBrand
+2x
Media TSR
performance
Organisations with
low purpose scores
Bottom two quartiles of TSR performance
Organisations with
high purpose scores
Top two quartiles of TSR performance
11. FutureBrand 11
Quantifying the relationship between brand and business performance
Index(2014=100)
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FutureBrand Index
Top 10
NASDAQ
DOW
S&P 500
FTSE 100
15. 15
“Brand is a dirty word.”
– B2B GM Marketing, Professional Services
last week
Back to basics
FutureBrand
16. 16
“We need a set of brand statements
that aren’t jargon but true – to
remove the confusion.”
– B2B Head of Marketing, Property
the week before that
Back to basics
FutureBrand
17. DNA
100 years
in business
B2B Professional Services brand
FutureBrand
Insight
Customer
research
B2B Property brand
Foresight
Product
roadmap
B2B Technology brand
17
Where to start
18. DNA
100 years
in business
B2B Professional Services brand
FutureBrand
Insight
Customer
research
B2B Property brand
Foresight
Product
roadmap
B2B Technology brand
18
Where to start
32. FutureBrand 32
Telling your story
Photographic style (detail)
Architectural photography - detail and context
33. FutureBrand 33
Telling your storyTone of voice
Quick guide
6th
Floor Offices
To create the bright, user-friendly
workspace that now occupies the
sixth floor, we not only had to brave
the hideous decor, but the dangerous
substrates and structures.
Headline
A half finished story about
the state of the asset when
purchased - highlighting the
worst of the project.
Lead-in copy
Begin to tell the development
story - the how.
Body copy
The detail of what was done
to get the finished property to
the level it attained.
Leaking water pipes,
asbestos in the walls
and green carpet tiles.
34. FutureBrand 34
Telling your story
We transformed an uninspiring location into
a contemporary and inviting space where a
corporate clique would be happy to be seen.
Tasteful, modern amenities deliver strong first
impressions at this popular CBD address.
Greasy burgers and
vacant spaces.
127 Creek Street, Brisbane
With close proximity to the railway station and significant
foot traffic passing by, we saw great potential for 127 Creek
St makingfar better use of its prime location in Brisbane’s
CBD. With ground floor at street level, we replaced the
lastresort burger joint with a tastier alternative: a stylish,
120seat culinary offering, better suited to the discerning,
corporate clientele of the area. We then gave the address
a highquality corporate fit out, a stark contrast from its
former existence. The ground floor received a full podium
refurbishment, resurfacing public and tenancy spaces
as greener, more active areas promoting vibrancy and
dynamism for maximum tenancy yield and exposure.
The addition of a green wall and terraced stairs are just
a few of the other exciting features to surface in this new
space making the most of its convenient and strategic
location in the city. Our eye for opportunity and attention to
the finest of details has turned this building from boring to
brilliant, across all facets of its existence.
A tasteful change for the corporate crowd.
Tone of voice
Case study example
36. FutureBrand 36
“Everyone who has
a responsibility for
a customer works in
marketing by default.”
– Nirmalya Kumar, Marketing As Strategy
Equipping your people
38. FutureBrand 38
Emotion as driver of
Customer Experience
Language as tool for
Sales Enablement
The value of brand in
Employee Engagement
Equipping your people
40. FutureBrand 40
From business card…
Brands are valuable
Emotions drive decisions
Language is behavioural
Give your people tools & training
…to business asset
Summary