How to build an unforgettable B2B brand - insights from LinkedIn

A comprehensive research project by the B2B Institute, LinkedIn and MediaScience shows that 81% of B2B ads on LinkedIn fail to capture sufficient attention or create lasting brand recognition. The study used a combination of biometric measurements to analyze how people actually react to B2B advertising on LinkedIn - not just what they think.

Branding is not a luxury - it's a survival strategy

When we talk about branding in B2B, we're often met with the perception that it's a 'nice-to-have', a kind of creative luxury for those companies that can afford it. But that's wrong. Branding is about creating mental accessibility - being in the minds of the right people at the right time. And it's that mental accessibility that determines whether your brand even makes it onto the buyer's shortlist.

Research shows that 86% of B2B buyers already have a list of brands in their head when they start a procurement process. 92% of the time, one of these brands will win the deal. If you're not already on the list when the buying process starts, it's basically too late.

To get on the buyer's shortlist, you need to invest in long-term brand building on LinkedIn too. Just running one-off campaigns when you have a new product or a sales-driven lead-gen campaign is not enough. You need to be constantly present and build brand awareness over time - especially on platforms like LinkedIn where decision-makers and B2B buyers move around daily.

What brain filters look like - and how to hack them

We like to think we are rational beings, but the fact is that 95% of all decisions we make are driven by instinct and emotion. The brain has a built-in filter that weeds out irrelevant information, and to get through it, a message needs to be familiar, emotional or unexpected.

One of the biggest mistakes in B2B marketing is relying on logical arguments. Sure, your product is better, faster and cheaper - but if no one remembers you, it doesn't matter. The brain likes what feels safe and familiar. That's why brands that are well-known have a huge advantage, even if they don't objectively have the best product.

Want to grab attention? Then you need to break through the brain's filters by creating strong associations. And this is where branding comes in. By consistently using colors, shapes, sounds, slogans and storytelling, you can program your brand into your customer's subconscious. On a platform like LinkedIn, where professional users scroll quickly, this is even more important - the brain needs to register your message in a matter of seconds.

What distinguishes good from bad B2B advertising on LinkedIn?

The study by the B2B Institute and MediaScience revealed why so many B2B ads on LinkedIn fail. The most common mistakes are:

• Too little branding. Many ads show the logo at the end or not at all. But research shows that ads with three or more brand mentions have 50% higher recognition.
• For slow and complex messages. B2B ads often rely on detailed information and lengthy reasoning. The problem? People give your ad an average of 3.7 seconds. Shorter, more focused messages work better.
• Wrong visual cues. Many B2B brands look like their competitors, making them difficult to distinguish. The right distinctive brand attributes (colors, symbols, sound signatures) can provide a decisive advantage.

Distinctive brand attributes - your secret weapon

The most successful B2B brands have strong, recognizable elements that are directly linked to them. We see it all the time in B2C: McDonald's yellow bows, Coca-Cola's red cans, Apple's minimalist design. But in B2B, this is still unusual.

For example, many B2B companies use blue as their primary color. But research shows that 'Dell blue' is more often associated with Microsoft than with Dell. So trying to own a color is difficult if it is already used by stronger brands. The solution? Create more and clearer brand attributes. It could be a sound logo, a unique tagline, a visual icon or a recurring narrative.

It can also be a figure of its own that personifies the company, such as a celebrity. However, the problem with celebrities is that they are brands in themselves. It is better to develop your own figure that you can own, such as an ICA-Stig or the Ipren man. The study compares the US insurance companies Liberty Mutual and Allstate, and after four years of using their LiMu Emu and Doug characters as brand assets, Liberty Mutual reached the same level of recognition as Allstate and their celebrity ambassador Dennis Haysbert, with whom they had worked for 16 years.

Liberty Mutual's brand assets - LiMu Emu and Doug. They're a parody of the classic detective duo who, in this case, operate on the premise that it's criminal to pay for things you don't need.

Time to think beyond quarterly targets

It's easy to get caught up in short-term lead generation and click-through optimization, but strong B2B brands are built over time. Research shows that companies with a strong brand have higher profitability, can charge more and are more resilient to market crises.

So next time you're planning your marketing budget, think beyond just conversions here and now. Put more resources into building a brand that people actually remember. Because in a world where 81% of ads on LinkedIn fail to create brand recognition, you have a huge opportunity to do better.

Four recommendations for successful branding on LinkedIn:

1. Capture your audience's precious, fleeting attention - and make sure not to waste it.
2. The logo is not enough to stand out in the crowd. Use strategies that increase the likelihood of creating memorability and attention.
3. Be deliberate in designing distinctive brand elements. The goal is twofold: to strengthen brand recognition and create long-term creative freedom.
4. Exercise ruthless self-control. Avoid the short-term temptation to always do 'something new' and focus instead on the real competitive advantage - consistency.

Source: Newstead, Kate, 2024, Better, Bolder B2B Branding: How To Unlock The Biggest Opportunity In B2B