Infomercial creators aren't trying to win creative awards; they are singularly focused on selling a product as quickly as possible. This forces a direct, reality-based approach that resonates with customers. In contrast, "creative" B2B marketing often becomes navel-gazing, optimizing for industry praise rather than customer acquisition.
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The debate over ad "quality" is often based on subjective opinions of brand fit. A more effective definition of quality is its ability to achieve the primary business objective: selling the product. Unconventional creative that drives sales, like Olay's "cat with lasers" ad, is by definition high-quality.
Founders often start pitches by explaining their product's technology ("supply side"). Infomercials succeed by first showing the customer's struggle ("pull") in the first 5-10 seconds. This frames the product as an immediate solution to a recognized problem, making it instantly understandable and desirable.
The CEO of Unbound Merino found that his most polished, creative ads often underperformed. Conversely, ads he felt were cheesy or made him uncomfortable—specifically, founder-led videos—were highly effective, showing that authenticity can trump production value.
Analysis of B2B marketing shows that ABX is not a discipline where creative execution typically shines. Instead of fighting this, marketers should embed robust, data-driven thought leadership into their programs. This approach effectively shifts buyer perceptions and builds trust without relying on traditional creativity.
Technical founders often mistakenly believe the best product wins. In reality, marketing and sales acumen are more critical for success. Many multi-million dollar companies have succeeded with products considered clunky or complex, purely through superior distribution and sales execution.
Overly polished video content in B2B can signal "advertisement" to users, causing them to disengage. Lower-fidelity, more authentic content often performs better because it feels more organic and native to social media feeds, focusing on the message rather than slick production.
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands often excel at straightforward messaging and simple user journeys. B2B marketers should emulate this clarity. Complex B2B products often lead to jargon-filled copy and convoluted website flows, creating friction that a D2C mindset can help solve.
Extensive behavioral research on ad performance reveals a clear pattern: simplicity is superior. Creatives with multiple storylines, clutter, and excessive detail create cognitive load and reduce effectiveness. The best-performing ads feature a single, clear message that is easy for the human brain to process quickly.
B2B marketers default to polished case studies, underestimating the power of raw, authentic customer reviews. Reviews provide an emotional connection and a sense of "realness" that resonates with buyers who are still people, not just faceless stakeholders.
One of five timeless marketing principles is that humans are wired to avoid pain more than they are to seek gain. Marketing that speaks to a customer's secret worries—a missed goal, a clunky process, or looking stupid—will grab attention more effectively than messages focused purely on benefits.
