For The Drum’s B2B focus, Kara Manatt of IPG Mediabrands’ Magna takes a look at recent studies that show, once and for all: B2B buyers do like being made to laugh.
Historically, B2B advertising has been squarely focused on clarity messaging: this is who we are, this is our value proposition, this is proof of performance. It’s a formula that works, up to a point. After all, business decision makers (BDMs) need to know ‘who’ a brand is and why they’re credible.
But as the findings of a recent study from Magna Media Trials and LinkedIn show, clarity advertising often fails to build an emotional connection with prospective customers, leading to forgettable campaigns and wasted ad dollars. Could humor be the missing link for this kind of connection?
Why has humor been neglected by B2B brands?
Humor in advertising has traditionally been seen as the preserve of fun-loving consumer brands. And in a world where …