By Max England, Head of Creative at Move
Brand is undervalued in B2B. It’s something I find myself saying again and again. Of course, I would champion brand work, but it’s crucial that companies, especially those in the more ‘boring’ (but brilliant) sectors out there, are able to leverage brand effectively. And not just for the sake of it.
That’s because B2B brands – even those in more traditional sectors – are becoming increasingly successful as a result of their bolder (but strategically focused) branding. Simply put, the brands that aren’t standing out will fall by the wayside. Standing out against other B2B brands is now crucial, and ‘boring’ B2B brands can no longer get away with just blending in. You need to actively show customers your value and relevance. Relying on experience alone no longer works (sorry).
A quick one before I explain why brand is so undervalued in B2B. Brand is about clearly explaining who you are, what you stand for, and what makes you different.
Branding supports you by either giving you a helping hand to implement the changes that you want. Ignore it, and your hand will be forced. So, why is it that brand is undervalued by those who need it most?
In this industry, there’s a perception that brand doesn’t matter, similar to marketing. Many B2B leaders prioritise sales and immediate lead generation, missing the point that brand is the powerhouse tool for building the trust and reputation that makes sales teams succeed.
Many B2B brands operate under the misconception that buyers are purely rational, forgetting that these decision-makers are still emotional and risk-averse. At the same time, companies looking to rebrand often lack a clear understanding of who they are and what they stand for. This uncertainty feeds a fear that branding is harder to measure than performance marketing, is less important, and is ‘just a marketing function,’ rather than a business-wide asset that drives trust, credibility, and long-term growth.
A common fear among prospects is that branding means tearing down everything they’ve built, that it wipes out years of heritage and replaces it with something unrecognisable. There’s a worry that any change will confuse customers or make the business look like a completely different brand overnight. In reality, that’s rarely the case.
If anything, many B2B clients tend to treat rebranding like the monster under the bed – best not to look too closely, just in case it’s as scary as they imagine. But more often than not, it isn’t about losing what makes you familiar; it’s about refining it, strengthening it, and making sure it still works for where you’re headed next.
Yes, heritage matters, but too many businesses confuse ‘old’ with ‘reliable’.
Let’s be clear, relying on age alone is simply not an option anymore. Truly understanding your brand supports a simple idea that nails the message, the proposition, and helps really target your audience. This is critical, especially when targeting new sectors.
It’s a balance between respecting tradition and allowing the brand to have a voice and stand out. At the end of the day, people want to know what’s next.
Updating and elevating your business is a crucial opportunity when expanding or moving up. A rebrand doesn’t mean bright pink and bright orange marketing collateral. But is it not time to step out of comfort zones? In a sea of white and blue at trade shows, who really stands out? Dare to be bold. However, choose to be bold while understanding your target audience and not isolating them. Does this bold branding match what your brand truly stands for?
The fear that branding might change entire fundamentals can keep B2B businesses from investing in brand services.
When products and services look similar on paper, brand becomes the deciding factor.
One of the most interesting aspects of a brand is that people think they’re fully in control of it, but they’re not. A brand isn’t something that you completely own; it’s shaped by how people perceive you. In many ways, your brand lives in the mind of your target audience (not yours).
The simplest way to understand branding is to think about how you experience it yourself. You already recognise the pull of choosing a particular drink or clothing brand without much hesitation. But for many, that same understanding doesn’t always carry through to how they think about their own business.
As Walter Landor famously said: “Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind.”
This strong branding puts you in people’s minds when they’re ready to make a decision. That kind of recognition and trust doesn’t happen overnight; it builds over time.
A strong brand means that you’re already in consideration before a buyer starts comparing their options. Remember, a strong brand isn’t created by accident; it’s built deliberately.
Strong foundations matter. Without them, your brand is built on shaky ground. Taking the time to define your strategy, purpose, and positioning means everything else has something solid to build on.
Why is a strong brand valuable today? I’ve noticed a change in the market that further establishes the need for a core brand. More than ever, smaller brands are being bought by larger investment companies, leading to the smaller brand being “swallowed up” or an increase in brand work after an investor demands it.
To be clear, it’s more than just creating a logo or keeping to a set of colours (although that is important). It’s about understanding the strategy behind it, ensuring your audience trusts you (and your products). It’s also about how the business positions itself and communicates what makes it stand out from the crowd.
An example of a brand standing out from the crowd? Merck’s rebrand over a decade ago.
At the time when the sector leaned heavily into clean, simplified design, Merck’s dramatic but refreshing rebrand created a shift. It moved away from the traditional, clinical professionalism towards something distinct.
Naturally, there were concerns about this dramatic shift. How would this affect long-standing customers who were used to the clinical professionalism and slick graphics?
But that’s the point. Standing out from the crowded market rarely feels comfortable at first, but has its benefits in the long run. This new branding provided a sense of confidence, and deeper connectivity with the relevant sector, proving that brands – even those in the most traditional sectors – can still keep their credibility whilst refreshing.
Bold branding starts with conviction. This is your foundation, the reason you exist. It’s about getting clear on your purpose, vision, mission, and values, and knowing exactly what you stand for (and what you don’t). When this is solid, everything else has something real to build on.
From there, it’s about saying what you mean, and saying it with intent. Your value proposition, key messages, tone of voice, and personality should feel unmistakably yours, not something that could belong to anyone else. The clearer and more distinctive you are, the easier it is for people to understand and remember you.
But a brand isn’t just something you say, it’s something people see and experience. From your colours and visuals to the stories you tell, this is where your brand comes to life. Consistency plays a huge role here; it’s what turns a quick moment of attention into something deeper and more trusting over time.
And ultimately, a brand isn’t just expressed externally, it’s lived internally too. It shows up in your people, your culture, and every interaction you have with customers. This is where your brand is really proven, day in and day out.
If you want to ensure marketing helps you take back control of your growth, let’s get things moving. Discover our Brand services.
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