B2B Brand Awareness: Examples both big (integrated, geo-targeted marketing campaign) and small (bootstrapped startup’s new image)

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Quick Case Study #1: How software development company increased leads 33% with a non-traditional B2B marketing approach focused on its industry’s geographic concentration

“In this project, for which the SOFTSWISS Marketing Team received recognition at the EGR Marketing Innovations Awards 2023, we employed a creative solution uncommon in the technology industry,” said Valentina Bagniya, CMO, SOFTSWISS.

SOFTSWISS is an international tech product company with 15 years of experience. While the iGaming software provider’s target audience in general is globally dispersed, the team focused this campaign on Malta.

“Despite having a population of less than half a million, Malta's stature as an online gambling leader is notable, especially considering that 10% of the world's online gaming companies are registered and represented there,” she said.

Lest you think this case study only applies to this industry, remember, there are many industries that have a geographic concentration:

• Technology and innovation in Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, and Bangalore
• Entertainment and film in Hollywood, Bollywood, and Kollywood
• Finance on Wall Street
• Automative in Detroit
• Wine in Bordeaux
• Pharmaceuticals in Basel
• Diamonds in Antwerp

And of course, industry events cause a geographical concentration in certain locations for brief periods as well (another aspect covered in this case study).

BEFORE: Traditional industry approach results in low brand awareness in Malta

In previous marketing communications, the company focused on the rational benefits of the product and used only traditional digital channels.

Creative Sample #1: Example of previously used digital banners highlighting rational brand features

AFTER: Non-traditional B2B campaign strategy with a simple message and eye-catching visuals

The gambling software development company realized that thanks to its industry’s concentration in Malta, it could take approaches that were non-traditional for B2B, and more like the FMCG industry.

“The high concentration of B2B iGaming audiences in Malta and, hence the high affinity of media channels that are typically not very relevant for B2B TA, prompted us to adopt a non-standard approach for B2B in choosing the mix of channels,” she said.

The team launched the campaign in October with an eye on the key industry event of the year – SiGMA Europe 2022 – that was held in November.

Step #1: Channel selection

Competitors limited their non-digital promotion methods to participation in various iGaming events. Which meant the SOFTSWISS team could stand out in channels like OOH advertising, radio, in-mall ads, flight magazines, and airport advertisements.

The choice of channels was based on the below research.

Market Insights	Channels
Only 31% of those employed in the industry are Maltese, while 69% of employees come from a plethora of non-Maltese nationalities The target industry experts flying to iGaming events	Airport ads Flight magazines
Most of the companies’ premises are located in proximity to one another, namely in the northern part of Malta’s outer harbor region - Ta’ Xbiex, Gzira, Sliema, Saint Julians and Pembroke As for hotels, SiGMA recommends The Hilton and The Westin Dragonara - both of which are based in St. Julians and are home to 2 of Malta’s 4 physical casinos	OOH (out-of-home) at these areas
A great number of event visitors utilize one of the following two taxi companies in Malta, ECabs and Bolt	Radio, OOH, Coupons for a free taxi ride in hotels
Most iGaming companies are located in the areas of Sliema and St Julians, extending to Gzira and Msida.	BTL activities

Step #2: Teaser campaign

To stand out even more, the team went with a high-concept branding approach for its teaser campaign that was more typical of B2C brands. The ‘Bringing the Heat’ creative concept was developed, with a message rooted in urban slang, meaning ‘adding power.’

But before they launched that main campaign, the team launched a teaser campaign with similar visuals and coloration – the team chose a hot pepper as the key symbol of the campaign – with the line 'Blazing In.'

Creative Sample #2: Key visual featuring the chilli pepper

 “Traditionally, it's understood that B2B and B2C target audiences have different needs and preferences. However, in this campaign, we proceeded from the understanding that regardless of what is being purchased, the final decision is made by a person. And no matter the context in which a person makes a decision, it primarily comes from understanding the value the product provides. Here, not only rational factors or reasons are important but also emotional ones,” she said.

Creative Sample #3: Social media post from Aleksei Trudov excited to see bus advertising for a gambling software provider

Step #3: Main campaign

The team chose five C-level executives from SOFTSWISS to feature in the main campaign, executives that the target audience could then recognize at industry events or around Malta.

Creative sample #4: Key visuals featuring the C-level

The creative campaign also featured below-the-line, in-person experiential activations. For example, the team offered unique ice cream with spicy flavors such as chilli-mango and strawberry chilli (yellow and red, representing the brand colors of SOFTSWISS) near the offices of 29 potential clients for two days, serving 800 people.

Creative sample #5: Below The Line activities

And to target industry experts flying to Malta for the iGaming event, the team had five ad placements at Malta International Airport (OOH billboard, departure, arrivals, baggage areas) and in the in-flight Bizzilla Magazine.

The integrated campaign included PR, with four press and post releases, articles for iGaming media magazines, and podcast interviews.

RESULTS: Growth in brand awareness and target audience engagement

The campaign was meant to be a 360-degree experience that the target audience couldn’t ignore. It achieved the following results:

• Branded keyword clicks increased 104% vs the previous period (before the campaign)
• Leads (using UTM codes to qualify leads from the campaign) increased 33%
• Organic traffic increased 45%
• Nearly all targets were achieved, spending 40% less than the projected budget

Besides the measurable KPIs, the campaign helped SOFTSWISS increase employee loyalty thanks to C-level managers’ role as the main campaign heroes. Competitors inquired about the brains behind the idea and shared photos of the C-level executives, whom they recognized from the billboards and had the opportunity to engage with at the company’s event booth.

“In a young, competitive sector like ours, unique and engaging communication can have a substantial impact. Establishing a compelling creative brand image facilitates the presentation of rational product features, making the brand more attractive and recognizable,” she said.

But what sticks out for a moment in time does not last forever. “In the context of a small Maltese audience, creative content becomes less effective over time as the audience becomes accustomed to and bored with repeatedly seeing the same banners. Planning such campaigns for the short term is recommended,” she said.

And what works in one market, does not work in every market. For instance, in LATAM, the team sees value in partnerships with celebrities and influencers. “Brazilians tend to buy from those they know and trust. It's important to them that the brand is represented by locals. This is also about the emotional connection with the brand,” she said.

Quick Case Study #2: Small remote hiring company grows clients from Facebook advertising while reducing turnover

The previous case study showed the impact of an all-in branding campaign. But even a smaller business that can’t afford a 360-degree campaign can improve results. Let’s take a look at the story of Virtustant, a remove hiring company.

BEFORE – Starting small

When the remote hiring company started, the two partners themselves were the only employees, and the logo looked amateurish.

Creative Sample #6: Remote hiring company logo (before)

“We found the clients by advertising on Facebook with my savings,” said Erik Reid, CEO, Virtustant. The CTA focused on a free consultation.

Creative Sample #7: Facebook ad for remote hiring company (before)

This got the company clients and remote workers, however the turnover rate was high. But they were young and scrappy and dedicated to improving. “We quickly adopted the strategy of ‘the aggregation of marginal gains’ by Sir Dave Brailsford. This is simply to try and grow 1% a day,” Reid said.

One way they tried to grow was by improving their brand image. When I asked Reid if anything specific catalyzed this change, he told me, “There absolutely was a specific moment, and it was when we ran out of money again, due to the high turnover bleed we experienced from both sides of the spectrum. We decided to go through one last round of low-cost work and use the entirety of the result to invest in getting at least one serious company to hire through us.”

AFTER – Rebranding for a more professional identity

The previous logo was heavy and “didn’t bring much to the table in the way of transmitting just how simple our process is.” It also conveyed a traditional sense of procedure, referencing the Greek laurels of victory, while the team considered their methods to be cutting-edge modernist.

So they created a new logo that had a more youthful approach, streamlining the many aspects of their work into one simple, friendly tick without sharp edges. “As comfortable as the couch where you can work from home,” he calls it.

The coloring also changed to represent a work focus, over a formal one, in the way that it brings to mind a traffic cone or construction area, but without the dangers (as working remotely is quite safe).

Creative Sample #8: Remote hiring company logo (after)

They hoped the new, more professional look would attract bigger, more serious clients. Since advertising is still one of the tactics the team uses, here’s an example of the new advertising look. While the message still focused on the lower cost of hiring someone from outside the United States, the CTA changed from a free consultation to a focus on the cost of hiring.

Creative Sample #9 Facebook ad for remote hiring company (after)

RESULTS – Growth and client satisfaction

In all of 2022, the team was able to get nine clients through Facebook ads. In 2024 so far, the international staffing firm has already gotten 11 clients.

And these were higher-quality clients. “We learned that good quality marketing and sales bring a better-quality customer, who is better served by the excellence of the candidates we’ve provided. This leads to recommendations to other companies they are friends with, and when their production grows, they call us back to hire more remote employees. It is a virtuous cycle to focus on those you can perceive as serious leads and not waste time with those who want to lowball,” he said.

This approach has helped the company grow from the original two co-founders to a team of 30.

EPILOGUE – Global team dynamics

In working on this story, Reid also shared with me many lessons about working with a global team, something many marketers and entrepreneurs reading this article do on a daily basis.

For one, the team pivoted from originally recruiting in Asia, which they initially focused on since Reid’s co-founder was working in Asia on a Mandarin teaching project. They found Latin America to be a better fit because the time zones better align with the United States, and there are more native English speakers.

Reid also cautioned that it’s important to understand the culture of workers outside your home market.

“It's important to have a diverse group of individuals who bring a different perspective to the job. However, sometimes the culture of where people are from is not explored enough to know that it will not mesh. America is a very unique country in the way we work, and the ‘grind’ mentality,” he said.

“We have seen many people struggle to enjoy and keep up with the hustle of American work culture.”

This article was distributed through the MarketingSherpa email newsletter.

Related resources

B2B Brand Marketing and Culture: The higher up you go, your priority becomes the people (podcast episode #88)

Strategic Branding For Small Businesses: B2C rebranding and B2B advertising case studies

4 Lessons About B2B Inbound Marketing from a Sunday Morning in the Coffee Shop