The marketing industry is obsessed with B2C brands. We love to talk about Coke and Pepsi, Nike and Adidas, Apple and Samsung. Their every logo refresh and agency review gets covered in breathless detail.
B2B is the opposite—nothing gets covered in any detail. "Put me on the B2B account," said no creative director, ever.
But here's what those creative directors are missing: B2B is where the action is. B2B is where the growth is. And B2B is where the future of marketing is being written.
The Economic Reality
Consider some numbers:
- B2B spending is estimated at over $15 trillion globally—far larger than B2C
- The world's most valuable companies are increasingly B2B (Microsoft, Salesforce) or B2B+B2C hybrids (Amazon, Apple's services business)
- The fastest-growing sectors—cloud computing, AI, business services—are primarily B2B
The romantic era of marketing was built on consumer packaged goods. But the economic center of gravity has shifted. The companies that will dominate the next century are B2B companies.
Why B2B Was Underrated
B2B marketing has historically been seen as the boring cousin of "real" marketing for a few reasons:
- Less visible: You don't see B2B ads during the Super Bowl (well, you do now, but you didn't for decades).
- Less creative: B2B creative was genuinely terrible—all stock photos and feature lists.
- Less prestigious: Award shows focused on consumer work; B2B campaigns rarely won.
- Less understood: B2B buying is complex and unglamorous.
All of these are changing. B2B marketing is becoming more visible, more creative, and more respected. The marketers who recognized this shift early are now running some of the most successful marketing teams in the world.
The Opportunity for Marketers
Here's what excites me most: B2B marketing is still underdeveloped. The principles are sound (reach, distinctiveness, mental availability), but the execution is years behind B2C.
This is an opportunity, not a problem. If you bring sophisticated marketing thinking to B2B, you can achieve outsized results. The competition is still fighting with stock photos while you build a genuinely distinctive brand.
My Journey
I'll admit: I didn't always believe this. Twenty years ago, when I started in B2B marketing at a major enterprise tech company, I thought I was in the minor leagues. I assumed I'd eventually "graduate" to consumer brands.
Somewhere along the way, I realized I had it backward. B2B isn't the minor leagues—it's the frontier. The challenges are harder, the buying processes are more complex, and the opportunity for impact is greater.
Looking back, staying in B2B was the best career decision I made. And I'd make the same choice again today.
What This Means for You
If you're early in your marketing career, consider B2B seriously. Don't assume consumer marketing is more valuable or prestigious—those assumptions are outdated.
If you're already in B2B, lean in. The discipline is professionalizing rapidly, and marketers who invest in their craft now will be the leaders of the next decade.
And if you're a CMO or marketing leader, recognize that B2B marketing is no longer a backwater. It's the main event. Fund it accordingly.
The SocioLogic Connection
Part of why I joined SocioLogic is that I believe better research tools will accelerate B2B marketing's maturation. For too long, B2B marketers have been flying blind because traditional research methods don't work well in our context.
Synthetic users don't solve every problem, but they address a real gap. When B2B marketers can understand their customers as well as B2C marketers do, the quality of B2B marketing will leap forward.
That's a future I want to help build. The B2B century is here. Let's make it great.