B2B branding isn’t what it used to be. Not so long ago, it was enough for a B2B brand to be a safe bet. But today, B2B brand owners need to find innovative and creative ways not just to compete for attention, but to make their brand unforgettable.

We’re witnessing a seismic shift in the DNA of B2B branding right now, a shift that’s overturning rules and rewriting playbooks. It’s no longer business as usual – brand perception drives buying decisions just as powerfully in B2B as it does in B2C.

Studies reveal that over half of B2B purchase decisions hinge on a brand’s reputation, and employees – especially younger ones – want brands that align with their values. Simply put, the line between B2B and B2C branding has dissolved. Across B2C and B2B companies alike, brand perception dictates an organisation’s ability to attract and retain the best talent, too. Over 70% of employees now want to work for companies that align with their values and purpose, according to a Deloitte survey this year. Among millennials, the same study shows the figure is almost 90%.

This trend underlines the significance of purpose-driven employment, especially for younger generations who are more likely to reject employers or roles that don’t align with their ethical standards. In addition, a strong brand can command a premium price and help build higher lifetime value and more resilient client relationships. McKinsey research, for example, shows buyers are willing to spend up to 16% more on a trusted brand. Furthermore, nearly half of B2B buyers say brand loyalty influences their purchase decisions.

The most powerful brands don’t just keep up, they set the pace. They’re not just recognised, either, they’re unforgettable – and they become so by making an impact at every touchpoint

The message is as loud as it is clear. A powerful B2B brand is now essential for growth, which makes investing in B2B branding business critical. This requires a B2B brand owner to get to grips with just what makes a brand powerful today, and the answer lies in relevance. Gone are the days of predictable, set-in-stone strategies. Today, a brand that isn’t flexible or dynamic – ready to shift as a brand owner’s business model evolves, or the market changes – risks fading into irrelevance.

Purpose alone isn’t enough. The most powerful brands are flexible and fluid – built to adapt to every twist in the road. When the pandemic struck, Zoom, initially a user-friendly video tool, reinvented itself for enterprise clients, establishing itself as indispensable to global business and broadening its client base. Brands like Zoom are proof: adaptability is a brand’s best asset.

The most powerful brands don’t just keep up, they set the pace. They’re not just recognised, either, they’re unforgettable – and they become so by making an impact at every touchpoint. And they can achieve this because they understand that the key to achieving relevance is by delivering great brand experience.

The message is as loud as it is clear. A powerful B2B brand is now essential for growth, which makes investing in B2B branding business critical

Great brands have always been about creating experiences – be it a customer experience, an employee experience or, if a business is smart, a holistic experience for both these groups. This is because every interaction between brand and customer creates an impression that builds or breaks loyalty.

Today, however, with customers seeking deeper relationships with the products and services they buy into, brand experience has never been more important. And, with customers’ expectations of B2B experiences ever-rising by ever-improving B2C experiences – plus the acceleration of B2B and Direct-to-Consumer blurring – it is becoming even more so.

To build a brand that’s fit not just for the world now but in the future, a B2B brand owner should weigh their thinking and approach against three important principles that the most powerful brands adhere to today. First, is your B2B brand anchored in purpose? I don’t mean a mission statement, I mean a reason for your brand’s being beyond profit that is sharp and clear enough to stand the test of time. Purpose should be the guiding principle for every decision. In a shifting landscape, a sharp and clear purpose will keep you grounded.

Today, with customers seeking deeper relationships with the products and services they buy into, brand experience has never been more important

Salesforce, Siemens, and IBM are powerful examples of purpose-driven B2B brands that prioritise societal impact alongside business goals. Salesforce’s purpose, ‘to drive stakeholder success through powerful technology’, guides its commitment to social impact, sustainability and equality, making it a trusted partner for businesses and communities alike.

Siemens, a global leader in industrial automation and digitalisation, aims to ‘transform the everyday’, focusing on sustainable energy solutions, smart infrastructure, and responsible innovation. Siemens actively pursues goals such as decarbonisation and digital transformation, resonating strongly with clients who prioritise these values.

Similarly, IBM’s purpose, ‘to be essential’, is reflected in its dedication to climate action, data privacy, and ethical AI development. By embedding purpose at the heart of their operations, these companies have cultivated strong loyalty and trust among clients and partners who share their values. These brands showcase how a well-defined purpose can be a guiding principle that attracts clients in a rapidly evolving market.

Second, is your B2B brand designed for versatility? In other words, is it adaptable enough to work across any platform and reach any audience? A brand designed for versatility is fluid and scalable – unconstrained by rigid guidelines, and adaptable across multiple channels for varied audiences while delivering a seamless brand experience throughout.

The brands that thrive today are those that embrace experience, human connection, and a bold purpose. Brands that resonate. Brands that will be remembered tomorrow

Third, is your B2B brand coherent? Coherence is more than consistency, it’s about making brand sense everywhere. It’s not dependent on your brand always looking and sounding the same. Instead, it’s about every interaction across every touchpoint feeling part of a single and coherent whole. Get this right and trust in your brand will grow. In B2B and B2C branding alike, powerful brands built on great experiences are underpinned by something very ancient that’s hard-wired into our DNA from when we sat around campfires in caves: human connectivity.

So what’s the bottom line? For B2B brands, ‘good enough’ is dead. We’re in an era of fierce competition where brands either evolve or fade. The brands that thrive today are those that embrace experience, human connection, and a bold purpose. Brands that resonate. Brands that will be remembered tomorrow.

If you’re not building a brand that drives connection – that fuels pride, that inspires loyalty – then you’re just filling space. Do it right, however, and your B2B brand can be something powerful, something resilient – something built to last.

Wayne Deakin is global creative principal at Wolff Olins; wolffolins.com