Cannes wrap up: A B2B Marketer's Perspective

1. How do we build trust with our audiences?

2. How can we leverage creativity and technology to drive business outcomes? 

After a week of insights, we've focused in on two fundamental questions asked by the global marketing community at Cannes. So, let's dive straight in. 

A strong brand is a trusted brand.

Let's start with the first challenge. How do you build trust with your audience?

In B2B marketing, there is a clear push for building strong brands. And a strong brand, is a trusted brand.  However, many of the same challenges remain around sales and marketing alignment, measurement, and a true appreciation of what amazing brand and creative efforts can deliver to the business.

According to the Brand Finance Journal's Global Most Valuable B2B Brands Index 2024, B2B valuations are growing rapidly. Even when comparing valuations across both B2B and B2C sectors, B2B shows a significant presence.

The key takeaway is that investing in brand is not just a marketing exercise; it drives substantial brand value from a business perspective. People turn to brands they know and trust when making purchasing decisions.

Invest in quality media environments

When it comes to building strong brands, it is crucial to be in high-quality media environments. Especially at times when audiences are looking for trusted sources. 

At Twogether, we have long championed this approach. We know that being in a quality environment helps build brand value much faster. That said, fantastic creative is also essential to make an impact. By now you've likely heard that 77% of B2B ads generate no sales¹ whatsoever. A stat still shocking to this day! 

Based on our recent research in collaboration with The Financial Times, we've identified the key channels and content that B2B decision-makers rely on to make informed buying decisions.

The findings highlight that 63% of decision-makers agree that using a trusted media source improves or significantly improves perceptions of brands². In an era of increasing complexity, trust is more crucial than ever for businesses. You can read the full infographic on engaging B2B decision makers here! 

The evolving role of technology

Another popular area of conversation at Cannes was the role of technology. Leading to our second question, 'How can you leverage creativity and technology to drive business outcomes?' 

Tech (and of course AI) is no doubt a fantastic enabler for creating efficiency, augmenting teamwork, improving data and performance analysis, and supporting the creative process. Over the past six months, the use of generative AI has nearly doubled, with 75% of knowledge workers now using AI³, according to LinkedIn.

However, to create true emotional connections for brands, people will continue to lead the way. Brands must be cognizant that audiences expect transparency, great user experience, and alignment with their own values.

So, while technology and AI are powerful tools for enhancing efficiency and creativity in some aspects, the true emotional connections that define successful brands will always rely on human leadership.

The AI revolution is still in its infancy. Many use cases, especially from a customer interaction perspective, are still being explored. The next big challenge will be around the interoperability of AI solutions.

At Twogether, we have been on a fantastic journey, and have developed a successful framework for integrating AI into business processes. You can check it out here to discover best practices approaches for implementing AI. 

If you'd like a more detailed conversation about any of the topics I've touched on in this blog, get in touch and I'll be happy to talk them through with you!