Firms that promote business-to-business (B2B) can typically discover it difficult to market what they provide in a method that excites and engages.
Nonetheless, over the previous few years, many entrepreneurs have pushed again in opposition to the stereotype of prosaic B2B branding. We spoke to Madlen Nicolaus, chief advertising officer at world tech agency Hexagon, about how an organization specialising in measurement and geospatial instruments and software program brings buyer tales to life in a method that’s ‘something however uninteresting’.
She additionally spoke about how Hexagon’s shoppers are approaching AI, how the enterprise is discovering methods to face out regardless of leaner budgets, and her recommendation to entrepreneurs beginning out in B2B.
Econsultancy: We hear a number of columnists difficult the notion that B2B branding must be barely uninteresting and dependable. How does this dialog present itself at Hexagon?
Madlen Nicolaus: It begins with figuring out your viewers. What resonates with the C-suite doesn’t essentially work for the technical finish customers of our merchandise; Hexagon helps every little thing from precision manufacturing to world engineering feats and getting that steadiness proper is essential.
We purpose for messaging that’s neither too technical nor too diluted. Our newly-approved narrative on measurement applied sciences hits this candy spot by utilizing a easy measuring tape as a well-known start line – one thing that everybody understands immediately.
We additionally imagine in letting our clients do the speaking. Whether or not it’s Crimson Bull Racing, Ma’aden, or CERN, real-world case research from well-known manufacturers and tasks give our options a human voice, showcasing their influence in a method that engages each executives and hands-on technical specialists.
As I typically say, we are able to’t simply throw cash at challenges – we’ve got to throw wit at them. It’s this mix of creativity, technical credibility, and viewers consciousness that retains our B2B branding something however uninteresting.
As I typically say, we are able to’t simply throw cash at challenges – we’ve got to throw wit at them.
What’s your sense of how shoppers view the emergence of AI?
What we’re seeing is that clients aren’t treating AI as a standalone software. They’re extra centered on the way it matches into their current ecosystems and what their advantages and outcomes are. It’s not a lot in regards to the know-how itself, however about what it helps them obtain – making smarter choices and rising productiveness.
AI actually begins to ship when it’s embedded into one thing sensible, like a digital twin. In sectors akin to manufacturing and concrete planning, AI-powered digital twins are serving to groups course of advanced knowledge and mannequin real-world situations with higher accuracy.
A standout instance is town of Klagenfurt in Austria, which used AI-enabled digital twin insights to evaluate rooftop photo voltaic potential. This led to a doubling of installations in simply two years, which is 33% quicker than cities with out an AI-enabled city digital twin. It’s a transparent instance of how AI can drive tangible, real-world influence when utilized with goal.
That sort of pondering is turning into extra frequent. Most clients aren’t chasing flashy new instruments however are centered on serving to their groups work smarter. More and more, AI is being seen not simply as a strategy to automate, however as a software that helps quicker, extra knowledgeable decision-making. That’s the place its true worth lies.
We’re additionally seeing this mindset take maintain amongst advertising groups, together with my very own. There’s a rising urge for food for utilizing AI to run extra environment friendly, data-driven, and artistic campaigns. Whether or not it’s predicting marketing campaign outcomes or tailoring buyer journeys in actual time, entrepreneurs are beginning to see how AI can assist enhance effectivity when grounded in strong knowledge and intently aligned with strategic objectives and execution.
The media panorama is altering – natural search site visitors is harder to return by, and advert costs are rising – how has your planning modified over the previous yr?
Constructing an efficient company advertising operate requires a extremely strategic method to useful resource allocation. Reasonably than investing closely in large-scale advert campaigns, we’ve embraced content-driven advertising and thought management to make an influence.
Take our Digital Twin report, for instance. This was extra than simply one other whitepaper; it offered unique insights, {industry} tendencies, and actionable takeaways that engaged our viewers and strengthened our place as a thought chief. This content material remains to be being repurposed throughout varied channels, from keynote speeches and new visualisations to weblog posts for advertising groups throughout Hexagon – all to maintain momentum and drive consciousness.
By prioritising creativity over sheer spending energy, we’ve discovered new methods to face out, even with leaner budgets.
Reasonably than investing closely in large-scale advert campaigns, we’ve embraced content-driven advertising and thought management to make an influence.
How does advertising become involved with buyer success in your online business?
On the company stage, I’m considerably faraway from the day-to-day operations of our buyer success groups. Nonetheless, our function is to show the influence of our know-how throughout the 27-plus industries we serve.
We do that by working intently with regional and divisional groups to develop success tales, thought management items, and occasion shows which might be leveraged throughout the group. These supplies spotlight buyer achievements and reinforce the worth of our options in fixing real-world challenges.
At present, we’re engaged on a buyer story about our know-how partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and a mega infrastructure venture by Skanska – the longest and deepest underwater street tunnel ever constructed. This method not solely highlights the tangible influence of our options but additionally encourages cross-industry studying, guaranteeing each buyer success story will get the visibility it deserves.
Describe your common day. What’s nice – and what’s powerful?
I typically joke that I’m a high-wire performer – solely my act entails three younger children, countless conferences, and a laser concentrate on element (that’s the German in me!). If I’m house, my day begins with wrangling the children into the automobile for the college run. If I’m overseas, I’m in all probability doing yoga to assist clear my thoughts and begin the day energised.
As soon as the workday begins, I instantly leap into alignment calls with my worldwide groups in China and India, or into one-to-ones with my groups throughout Europe. We focus on every little thing from go-to-market methods for cutting-edge product launches to finances or model opinions, guaranteeing each venture stays on observe.
By mid-morning, I’m bouncing between world time zones – generally speaking technique with colleagues throughout our divisions or different occasions aligning on our prime precedence tasks with my company advertising group members in Atlanta. No two days are alike – one second, I’m brainstorming advertising concepts with our companies; the following, I’m main a deep dive into AI adoption or presenting to our company management group.
It’s a back-to-back dash that generally stretches for 12 hours, however I all the time carve out time for supper with my children. That transient pause is my non-negotiable household time (and if I’m away, I all the time attempt to FaceTime).
The most effective a part of my day is seeing actual influence: watching our concepts come to life, listening to buyer success tales, or witnessing our initiatives evolve from idea to activation. The not-so-great half? Being away from my children greater than I’d like. However that’s the character of this high-wire act.
What recommendation would you give to a marketer beginning in B2B at the moment?
It is determined by their profession ambitions. Not everybody has the identical priorities, which implies their method to work can even be completely different.
For many who are career-driven, my recommendation is straightforward: transcend the job description. Progress isn’t about simply checking bins – it’s about recognising unstated wants and tackling challenges others overlook.
Each time I’ve stepped into a brand new function, I’ve recognized gaps past the official scope of the function and brought the initiative to deal with them regardless. That consciousness and curiosity helped me be taught new expertise, redefine my function, and add worth in surprising methods.
So, my recommendation? Don’t simply do what’s anticipated – take note of what isn’t acknowledged. The true alternatives lie in what nobody’s asking for but. This mindset will maintain you studying, rising, and really making an influence.
Learn extra from B2B entrepreneurs on generative AI, budgets, and viewers connection in 2025 in our skilled round-up.
