What happens when you combine B2C creativity with B2B precision? You get campaigns that stand out, engage audiences, and drive results. 

We had Jared Blank, the mastermind behind the witty and insightful newsletter Gobbledy, join Mavuus for a CMO Tell All session where he shared how B2B marketers can steal the best tricks from B2C playbooks.

If you’re tired of playing it safe and ready to shake up your marketing, this blog post’s for you.

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1. Lessons B2B Can Learn from B2C Marketing

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B2C brands thrive on creativity, emotion, and clarity—traits that B2B campaigns often struggle to emulate. Jared Blank shared insights into how B2B marketers can adopt B2C’s boldness and effectiveness while staying true to their audience.

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Positioning Is Everything

Jared emphasized a fundamental truth: “The most important decision in advertising is how do you position your product?” Without clear positioning, campaigns fall apart.

He shared examples from David Ogilvy:

• Schweppes had to decide whether to position itself as a soda or a cocktail mixer.
• Dove chose between emphasizing dry skin relief or deep cleansing.

In B2B, positioning defines who your product is for and what sets you apart. “If you don’t think about the positioning first,” Jared warned, “your marketing message will be a mess.”

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B2B Needs Visual Clarity

B2C is known for telling stories through visuals, while B2B often relies on dense, text-heavy content. Jared urged B2B marketers to prioritize clarity and simplicity:

“In B2B, it’s going to involve making trade-offs,” he said. The goal is to focus on core personas instead of trying to appeal to everyone. Clarity cuts through the noise and gives your audience a reason to care.

As Jared put it, “It’s very easy to do what other people are doing...but to make an impact, you’ve got to use a method that no one in your space is using.”

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Creative Risks Pay Off

B2C isn’t afraid to push boundaries, and B2B can follow suit. Jared highlighted a bold example: a musical ad for diabetes medication.

“It sticks in your head,” Jared explained. “Nobody’s using a musical to do that.”

For B2B, this means finding creative ways to stand out in a crowded market. “There’s always space to try something else,” Jared said, urging marketers to embrace new ideas instead of defaulting to what’s safe.

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2. Overcoming Resistance to Bold Ideas

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Pitching creative, out-of-the-box ideas can feel like an uphill battle in B2B marketing. Jared unpacked the reasons for this resistance and shared actionable advice for marketers to navigate it successfully.

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Why Does B2B Hesitate?

B2B companies often shy away from bold marketing ideas for three key reasons:

1. Limited Marketing Knowledge Among Founders: “Founders, especially technical founders, don’t really understand marketing,” Jared explained. This knowledge gap can lead to a preference for safe, measurable strategies over creative risks.
2. Risk Aversion: Many leaders are wary of bold campaigns because they worry about potential backlash or failure. Jared noted that in B2B, “It’s very easy to do what other people are doing...You’re not going to get in trouble for having a wordy website with the same graphics and a bunch of figures on it.”
3. Overemphasis on Metrics: Years of focusing on measurable results have trained executives to view marketing primarily as a numbers game. “If our pitch as marketers for quite some time has been, ‘The great thing about digital marketing is the measurement,’ then of course the person we’re working for is going to expect everything to be very well measured,” Jared observed.

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How to Pitch Bold Ideas to Executives

Selling creative campaigns to leadership requires a thoughtful approach. Jared emphasized the importance of gauging the appetite for innovation early:

“You need to ask questions,” he said. “What do you think marketing should be doing here? What do you think good looks like?” These conversations help marketers understand leadership’s perspective and frame bold ideas in a way that resonates.

Jared also recommended presenting a spectrum of options to encourage conversation. “Come back with that broad spectrum of like, this really pushes the boundary versus this is sort of the conservative approach,” he suggested. By providing a range, marketers can guide leaders toward bolder ideas without overwhelming them.

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A Tip for CMOs: Vet Leadership During Interviews

CMOs have the unique opportunity to align with organizations that value creativity from the outset. Jared stressed the importance of asking the right questions during interviews:

“Ask the person you’re working for: What do you want marketing to do here? Tell me an example of a campaign that you love,” he said. Digging into their answers will reveal how they think about marketing and whether they’re open to innovative approaches.

If there’s a misalignment, Jared advises moving on: “If you’re a marketer who is creative-minded...and you’re working for a software company where your CEO doesn’t believe in that, you’re working for the wrong company. That’s on you.”

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3. Turning Negatives into Positives

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Great marketing doesn’t just celebrate strengths—it reframes weaknesses into opportunities. Jared shared memorable examples of brands that leaned into their shortcomings to create compelling campaigns, proving that what seems like a flaw can actually set you apart.

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Case Study 1: Listerine – “I Hate It, But I Love It”

Consumers hated Listerine’s harsh taste, but the brand embraced it with the campaign: “I hate it, but I love it.” Jared explained, “Anything that tastes this bad must work really well.” The unpleasant flavor became proof of its effectiveness.

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Case Study 2: Oatly – Honest and Exclusive

Oatly tackled criticism head-on with ads like: “This tastes like shit...because it tastes like oats.” Jared noted how Oatly used humor to connect with fans, creating an “us versus them” tribe by saying, “If you don’t like the taste, you don’t have to drink it.”

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Case Study 3: J Skis – Embracing Boldness

J Skis highlighted a negative review that said, “No normal graphics. Seriously, who designs these things?” Jared explained, “They used the negative as their positive. If you want white or black skis, J Skis is not the place to go.”

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How B2B Can Apply This

Jared urged marketers to reframe weaknesses as strengths. “What are the biggest shortcomings we have? How can we position that as a positive?”

For example, a marketing automation company without a user interface spun this flaw as “white-glove service.” By embracing their differences, they created a unique selling point.

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4. Standout Campaign Examples We Can Steal From

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Creative, clear, and audience-focused campaigns make brands unforgettable. Jared shared three standout examples of how companies have nailed their messaging and created memorable campaigns, each with lessons B2B marketers can adapt.

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Basecamp: Crystal-Clear Simplicity

Basecamp’s website puts clarity front and center. “They start with a five-star review at the top—every time you refresh, it changes,” Jared said. Their messaging is equally clear: “It’s a project management platform that helps small teams. They even say, ‘If you’re a large team, this product is not for you.’”

By narrowing their focus, Basecamp connects deeply with their target audience.

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IBM’s Pillow Ad: Selling Peace of Mind

IBM addressed buyers’ fears directly with a campaign that featured a pillow and the tagline: “What most people want from a computer company is a good night’s sleep.”

“It shows they understand their buyers’ fears—people want to sleep at night knowing their product won’t fail them,” Jared explained. This message reinforced IBM’s positioning as the safe, reliable choice.

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VW Bus Campaign: Owning Quirkiness

Faced with criticism of the VW Bus’s odd design, the brand leaned into its niche appeal. One ad asked: “Do you have the right kind of wife for it?” The quirky, resourceful woman they described mirrored the unique personality of the vehicle.

“You know exactly who they’re talking to,” Jared said. By embracing its differences, VW turned a perceived weakness into a strength.

Each of these campaigns succeeded because they boldly embraced specificity. Jared explained: “It all starts with understanding your positioning—your place in the market, who you’re competing against, and how you’re different.”

For B2B marketers, the lesson is clear: embrace who your product is for, and make it obvious to your audience. It’s not about appealing to everyone—it’s about connecting deeply with the right people.

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5. Why a Point of View Matters

A strong point of view is the difference between forgettable marketing and campaigns that truly resonate. Blank emphasized that in both B2B and B2C, having a clear perspective makes all the difference. People gravitate toward content that feels personal and authentic. Jared explained, “In newsletters, people read for the point of view. They want a point of view.”

He argued that personality-driven content creates a stronger connection: “We’re not idiots. We know what talking to a person sounds like.” Sharing relatable, human-centric content can make your brand more engaging and memorable.

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Jared’s Advice: Start with the Customer

Developing a POV begins with listening to your customers. Jared shared, “If you have 10 conversations with customers or listen to 10 calls on Chorus or Gong, you’re going to hear the same words.” These insights reveal patterns that can shape a clear and compelling brand perspective.

Marketers often already know their ideal positioning but hesitate to commit. “The dirty secret is, you know the answer to this,” Jared said. “You know how you’re positioned in the market, where there’s space, and how you’re different.”

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The CMO’s Challenge: Be Bold

Having a clear POV means defining not only who your brand is for but also who it’s not for—something that can feel risky in B2B. Jared acknowledged this discomfort: “Ask your executive team, ‘Who shouldn’t buy this? Who should we ignore?’ It’s really uncomfortable.”

Yet, this clarity is essential for success. Jared explained, “A point of view will go very far. It’s often uncomfortable...but it will make selling to the right people easier.”

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Conclusion: Time to Steal Like a Marketer

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So, what have we learned today? B2B marketing can—and should—borrow from the boldness of B2C. From turning negatives into positives (hello, “this tastes like oats”) to embracing crystal-clear messaging (looking at you, Basecamp), there’s no excuse for dull, forgettable campaigns.

Ultimately, safe campaigns don’t win hearts, and they certainly don’t win deals. If you’re ready to shake things up, take risks, and finally answer the question, “Who is this product really for?”—you’re already on the right track.

Looking for a community that gets it? Join Mavuus to connect with marketing leaders, learn from innovators like Jared, and sharpen your edge in the ever-evolving world of B2B marketing. Bold ideas need bold communities—and we’re here for you.

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Join Mavuus Today!

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