Hasta La Creative!

In today’s digital age, the traditional categories of b-to-b and b-to-c marketing are converging, and frankly, it’s about time. I’ve always believed that making a distinction between the two is irrelevant, but Keith Navratil’s recent column has made it clear that the industry continues to insist on categorizing marketing to businesses and individual consumers as two entirely separate strategies. I’m calling B.S.

All companies face the same challenge: standing for one cohesive idea and tailoring its messaging to a network of audiences, including professionals and consumers. While Keith gets it right that business decision-makers have emotions, he fails to acknowledge that all brands need to appeal to an entire ecosystem of decision-makers — implying that brands like CVS and L’Oreal are strictly consumer, while FedEx and SAP are b-to-b brands.

Marketers should worry less about fleshing out distinct b-to-b and b-to-c strategies and more about thinking creatively about reaching every human who has a potential to touch a brand. To be successful like Apple and GE, which have erased the distinction, companies must ask themselves the following questions:

Continue reading at AdAge.com