To B2B, or not to B2B… that is the question. 💀
This Friday the 13th, let’s drop the superstitions and talk about one thing that can REALLY bring a string of bad luck in your B2B marketing - boring, forgettable content.
We've said that a lot, and we'll say it again. Most B2B marketers actually expect business content to be less boring and as creative as B2C ads.
Meanwhile, most B2B companies are still stuck in the graveyard of dull, overly corporate content. 🪦
But hey, great news - you don’t have to be!
Take some advice from our friend, the talking skull 😉
1️⃣ Sometimes you just need to stop overthinking: You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Focus on making content that resonates with your audience’s needs. Often the simplest ideas are the right ones.
2️⃣ Don't be afraid to be bold: Add some personality to your videos. Whether it’s humor, storytelling, or even... talking skulls. 🎬
3️⃣ Engage, but don't lecture: Your audience (especially in B2B) is sooo tired of being sold to. Give them something to entertain them so they'll want to watch it!
So, ready to turn your luck around? Watch our video for a little inspiration and see how you can make your videos come alive (pun intended!)
PS: You know where to find us if you ever need support with creating engaging B2B stuff → blackrabbit.pl
Black Rabbit x Trend Micro Airplane
You know those airline safety instructions that somehow manage to grab your attention, even when you're eager to start your flight? It's like they know exactly how to make you listen.
This is why we might have borrowed a page from their book to create this fun project for Trend Micro 😎
Now, this is not your run-of-the-mill, boring explainer video. This one was actually created for Trend Micro's event booth for some major cybersecurity events like RSA or AWS. And because that booth happened to be shaped like an airplane cabin, participants could come in, sit down and watch this like an actual safety features presentation.
So whether your summer travels are already behind you or you're just planning to set off somewhere, sit back, relax, and let us take you on a journey with Deep Security Airlines.
This was your Black Rabbit crew speaking. Have a safe flight! 🛫
The road to a good B2B video is never a straight line. Let us tell you a story where we (almost) f-ed up. Don't worry, it ends great!
We got a brief (a good one!) from Accenture Polska for a recruitement video empowering women considering a career in IT.
We created concepts focused on the challenges in that male-dominated industry.
Everyone loved it. The end.
Or was it?
Nope. At the last moment, the script was double-checked with a focus group, and it turned out we were wrong. Many of the women didn't identify with the issues, and they weren't happy about our riding this stereotype.
So, 3 days before filming, it was back to the drawing board. After much discussion and research, we refocused on inclusion (a huge part of the brand's DNA). We created a video using various types of footage and diverse techniques. Finally, the campaign was live, and...
It was a hit! Our content was viewed 20 M times, with CPC and CPV values at about 75% below the average price.
Oh yeah, and the client recruited a lot of amazing people. We promised it ends well, didn't we?
Psst. Want to know the ultimate B2B game-changer? It’s storytelling.
We know, we know, you've heard it all before, but let us say that again. In B2B, storytelling isn’t just nice to have- it’s an absolute must. In fact, the 2024 Dentsu Creative CMO Report revealed 75% of marketers agree that every touchpoint can and must tell the brand story.
That’s massive.
You’re not just selling products; you’re selling your brand’s identity, value, and mission at every interaction.
Here’s some more awesome numbers proving why B2B storytelling is crucial for 2024 and beyond:
1️⃣ Shift from share of voice to share of culture.
88% of CMOs believe it’s more important than ever for brands to be part of culture. That means storytelling is not just about talking about how great your brand is, but about embedding it into the things your audience actually cares about.
2️⃣ Content is king, but context is emperor!
The ability to tailor stories across multiple channels at scale is not a luxury anymore and 75% of marketers say every interaction must deliver that brand experience.
3️⃣ Creativity unlocks growth.
83% of CMOs believe that creativity (hello, storytelling!) has more potential than ever to drive business growth.
Now, how do you bring this storytelling magic into your B2B marketing?
Luckily, we happen to know a thing or two about that 😎, so here are some tips to get you started:
📜 Create a story your audience wants to hear.
Instead of focusing on what you do, focus on why it matters to your audience. Great stories revolve around shared values and beliefs. Make it personal, not transactional.
🧭 Be the guide, not the hero.
It's your customer that is the hero of the story - and you’re their guide. Using stories that highlight the customer's journey and how your solutions support them creates a much deeper emotional connection and relevance.
🔁 Deliver consistent narratives across touchpoints.
Every blog, email, and video
Wojtek Jezowski x Video MBA: How it all began
Black Rabbit turned 15 this week!
Can you believe it? Somehow the years went by and here we are with Black Rabbit officially shaping B2B stories for a decade and a half!
This is just the beginning for us and we’re already excited for what comes next.
So here’s to another 15 years of game-changing ideas, and always focusing on making B2B brands stand out from the crowd. Cheers!🥂
PS: Want to know more about our story? Listen to what our CEO and Creative Director, Wojtek Jezowski said about the beginnings of Black Rabbit on the Video MBA podcast (full version is here: https://bit.ly/46WG7B6).
Black Rabbit x Fingersoft ID
It's almost another 4-day weekend here in Poland, so just a word of advice from your friendly neighborhood Black Rabbit 😎
When heading for the great outdoors, take care of your mobile devices! 😱 Because sometimes 💩 can happen 😜
Ok, you caught us. This was just a clever way to share one of our projects for Fingersoft, our friends behind the viral mobile hit Hill Climb Racing.
We made a series of videos together showing how their FingersoftID feature lets you continue playing even if your phone is struck by lightning.
Simple, straight to the point and memorable. Just how we like it!
PS: we'll be back on Friday, because as they say, there's no rest for the wicked 😜
Black Rabbit x Trend Micro @ Black Hat USA 2024
It's that time of year again, cybersecurity folks! Black Hat week is in full swing, and the main conference starts today! 🎩
Are you attending one of the most anticipated cybersecurity events of the year? If you're in LA this week, look for Trend Micro , a client of ours. Once again, we had the pleasure of creating some sweet content for them, including promo videos for their in-booth challenges.
Curious to know more? Well, you'll have to check out Trend Micro at their booth 😎
And later, after you're back home and the hangover dies down, check out one of our latest blog posts, where we explain the massive role videos can play at technology events. Of course with examples of some of our favorite works.
From teasers to booth animations, live streams, and summaries, videos can take your event strategy to the next level. Read it here: 🔗https://bit.ly/3SDSBYm
In need of epic video content for your next tech event? Reach out, and let's make your brand stand out! 📩
Black Rabbit x Trend Micro: Mythbusting Mac cybersecurity
Time for a little blast from the past! Remember how the Internet looked like in 2012?
If not, let us remind you with one of our first projects (well, actually, the second-ever) for .
Our aim for this project was to tackle the topic of Mac security.
Boring, right? Well, not necessarily ;)
As this wasn't a main campaign piece, we were allowed to have a little fun. ;) But here's the catch: even though we used a lot of humor, it wasn't just for laughs. And as much as we like creating awesome videos, they must make sense. In this case, it was all about driving home the message.
We stuck to our tried-and-true structure. First, we laid out the world, highlighting the issues and misconceptions. Then, we presented some proof points—real-life malware stories specifically targeting Macs.
We wrapped up with the latest data and insights.
And the comic book visuals were designed to enhance the tone and feel of each scene, not just illustrate the voice-over (because, let's face it, that's never a good idea).
Our goal with every video we create is make viewers feel something; that way, they're more likely to remember the content, message, and brand... yes, even in the B2B space. Especially in the B2B space.
This is largely true for a topic that many Mac users—both then and now—don't take seriously enough: cybersecurity.
So, take a look and let us know what you think (yes, we know it's a bit oldschool, but that's part of its charm)!
PS: did you manage to catch all the 2012 pop culture references? 😜
Black Rabbit x Trend Micro: Mythbusting Mac cybersecurity
Time for a little blast from the past! Remember how the Internet looked like in 2012?
If not, let us remind you with one of our first projects (well, actually, the second-ever) for .
Our aim for this project was to tackle the topic of Mac security.
Boring, right? Well, not necessarily ;)
As this wasn't a main campaign piece, we were allowed to have a little fun. ;) But here's the catch: even though we used a lot of humor, it wasn't just for laughs. And as much as we like creating awesome videos, they must make sense. In this case, it was all about driving home the message.
We stuck to our tried-and-true structure. First, we laid out the world, highlighting the issues and misconceptions. Then, we presented some proof points—real-life malware stories specifically targeting Macs.
We wrapped up with the latest data and insights.
And the comic book visuals were designed to enhance the tone and feel of each scene, not just illustrate the voice-over (because, let's face it, that's never a good idea).
Our goal with every video we create is make viewers feel something; that way, they're more likely to remember the content, message, and brand... yes, even in the B2B space. Especially in the B2B space.
This is largely true for a topic that many Mac users—both then and now—don't take seriously enough: cybersecurity.
So, take a look and let us know what you think (yes, we know it's a bit oldschool, but that's part of its charm)!
PS: did you manage to catch all the 2012 pop culture references? 😜
Black Rabbit x Trend Micro: Mythbusting Mac cybersecurity
Time for a little blast from the past! Remember how the Internet looked like in 2012?
If not, let us remind you with one of our first projects (well, actually, the second-ever) for .
Our aim for this project was to tackle the topic of Mac security.
Boring, right? Well, not necessarily ;)
As this wasn't a main campaign piece, we were allowed to have a little fun. ;) But here's the catch: even though we used a lot of humor, it wasn't just for laughs. And as much as we like creating awesome videos, they must make sense. In this case, it was all about driving home the message.
We stuck to our tried-and-true structure. First, we laid out the world, highlighting the issues and misconceptions. Then, we presented some proof points—real-life malware stories specifically targeting Macs.
We wrapped up with the latest data and insights.
And the comic book visuals were designed to enhance the tone and feel of each scene, not just illustrate the voice-over (because, let's face it, that's never a good idea).
Our goal with every video we create is make viewers feel something; that way, they're more likely to remember the content, message, and brand... yes, even in the B2B space. Especially in the B2B space.
This is largely true for a topic that many Mac users—both then and now—don't take seriously enough: cybersecurity.
So, take a look and let us know what you think (yes, we know it's a bit oldschool, but that's part of its charm)!
PS: did you manage to catch all the 2012 pop culture references? 😜
Black Rabbit x Trend Micro: Mythbusting Mac cybersecurity
Time for a little blast from the past! Remember how the Internet looked like in 2012?
If not, let us remind you with one of our first projects (well, actually, the second-ever) for Trend Micro.
Our aim for this project was to tackle the topic of Mac security.
Boring, right? Well, not necessarily ;)
As this wasn't a main campaign piece, we were allowed to have a little fun. ;) But here's the catch: even though we used a lot of humor, it wasn't just for laughs. And as much as we like creating awesome videos, they must make sense. In this case, it was all about driving home the message.
We stuck to our tried-and-true structure. First, we laid out the world, highlighting the issues and misconceptions. Then, we presented some proof points—real-life malware stories specifically targeting Macs.
We wrapped up with the latest data and insights.
And the comic book visuals were designed to enhance the tone and feel of each scene, not just illustrate the voice-over (because, let's face it, that's never a good idea).
Our goal with every video we create is make viewers feel something; that way, they're more likely to remember the content, message, and brand... yes, even in the B2B space. Especially in the B2B space.
This is largely true for a topic that many Mac users—both then and now—don't take seriously enough: cybersecurity.
So, take a look and let us know what you think (yes, we know it's a bit oldschool, but that's part of its charm)!
PS: did you manage to catch all the 2012 pop culture references? 😜
Is your B2B content putting your audience to sleep? The latest shocking research reveals that 70% of B2B buyers yawn while watching B2B videos!
Ha! Fortunately... we made that up 🤪
But now that we have your attention, hear us out. Here's some real data that tells a similar story. And it's not even new - in fact, it's from 2019:
• 48% of B2B purchase decision-makers find B2B advertising boring.
• 82% wish B2B advertising had the creativity of B2C advertising.
• 81% believe they'd make better decisions if B2B ads were more engaging.
Does this mean B2B videos need to be obnoxiously flashy? No. Even simple creativity helps your buyers engage with your content and remember you.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭.
According to the latest TrustRadius B2B Buying Disconnect Report:
- 78% of buyers creating shortlists reported selecting products they had heard of before even starting the research process.
- For enterprise buyers that number was even higher, at 86%
- Once a shortlist is created, 71% of buyers go with their first choice.
What's more, the report shows that enterprise marketers are i̳n̳c̳r̳e̳a̳s̳i̳n̳g̳l̳y̳ ̳a̳w̳a̳r̳e̳ that lack of visibility costs them deals - and intend to double down on brand awareness campaigns first and demand gen later, once their brand is established.
But are there any barriers to B2B ads being more engaging and memorable?
Well, convincing multiple stakeholders to take a more creative route tends to be challenging. So it is our job as a creative agency to develop a concept that works best for their customers.
And we're not talking about fictional personas - things like monitoring their actual conversations or even memes help us make sure we're speaking their language in the video rather than using marketing jargon. (Have you ever read the cybersecurity subreddit? Well, maybe it's about time you have 😜 )
This is how the video
Happy 4th of July 🎆 to our US clients! Here's an inspiration how to disconnect from your computers and fly into the long weekend with style 😎
Curious about what project this might be? Well, we can only say it’s from another epic collaboration with a cybersecurity client for their upcoming presence at Black Hat USA 2024 🤫
Stay tuned for more info next week!
If B2C ads spoke like B2B
There's a reason B2C products are advertised how they are, focusing more on emotions than product specs. But there is no reason B2B brands can't take a page from their playbook.
What do we mean by that? Well, let's play a little game:
𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝟐𝐁 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞.
Would you feel more inclined to buy if the shoe company addressed you as a 10,000 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑝-𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙?
Do you want to download a hefty whitepaper describing the science behind the material used in the soles? How about a detailed cost-benefit analysis comparing them to all other competing shoes?
Here, read a case study about how walking in those shoes improved the effectiveness of a mid-sized New York-based company like yours! Or watch some testimonials of happy people claiming these are the most comfortable shoes they have ever worn.
Think you're convinced? Remember to schedule your one-to-one call with our shoe salesman, who will schedule your two-week demo.
But before you try them on, have you considered the ROI of switching to the shoes from your current brand?
Feel overwhelmed yet? We sure are. 😅
And while it's perfectly reasonable for B2B marketing to focus on providing detailed information and justify purchases with data, sometimes things can be taken a bit too far to make the whole message even digestable. Not to mention making a lasting and favorable impression.
Why is that? Well, because of something that the B2B Marketing Institute calls 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛, or the conviction that the client is looking for the best product possible or trying to make a perfect decision.
This is why B2B brands flood them with proof points, while B2C brands understand they don't need to.
Because
Gearing up to make a splash at Black Hat 2024 with your cybersecurity brand? Here's something to help you avoid a belly flop instead.
Let's be honest. Trying to win over the cybersecurity events crowd is tough. And most of the time, it ends with oversimplified, generic campaigns that fail to resonate and, in worst-case scenarios, actively undermine trust.
So the question remains: how do you engage a highly technical audience with little regard for marketing 🐂💩?
Well, cybersecurity buyers are some of the most skeptical, scrutinizing folks out there. They're not influenced by flashy marketing; they require authentic, tangible evidence of expertise.
But does that mean no emotions? No cool videos?
Nah, that's not the case.
Our audience, our buyers - they're human beings just like us. Winning their attention is challenging because it isn't given freely - it must be earned.
And in this battle, videos can be your secret weapon.
But don't fall for the common B2B marketing mistake of thinking that a single 60-second video can grab attention, create a connection, elicit an emotional response, provide proof of reliability and expertise, build trust, and generate a lead. These are different goals you should target with diffenent assets.
Let's take an event like Black Hat as an example:
1. The booth: This is your where you're building expertise and trust. Provide comprehensive demos and compelling conversations. Be ready to answer complex questions, and don't sugarcoat.
2. Creative assets: Use light-hearted and creative content to grab attention during and before the event. But please, no marketing fluff like claiming to prevent all breaches whatsoever. They will call you out on it.
Here's one of our favorite videos we created for such an occasion for Trend Micro. Still coming out of COVID, it had to be simple and on point. The brief called explicitly for a no bullsh*t approach as the crowd at Black Hat detests corporate marketing speak.
So we spoke to them c
Black Rabbit - Juggling
Being a marketer is tough. We know. And so is creating B2B marketing content that doesn't s*ck. Consistently.
According to Content Marketing Institute's latest annual study, gone are the days when simply creating enough content was the main problem B2B marketers were facing.
As the B2B space becomes increasingly crowded and the fight for client attention intensifies, 57% of marketers see creating the right content for their audience as their main challenge.
This is followed by the need to create content consistently.
And that is followed by the necessity for the content to be distinct from that of your competitors.
And that's on top of the organizational hurdles such as the simple lack of internal resources to produce content and ensure it aligns to the buyer's journey (which means lots of different content).
So is there a way to manage it all? Here are some tips that will alleviate your content marketing pains:
1. Choose quality over quantity: Don't just create content. Create content that resonates with your audience.
2. Embrace your unique brand voice: Authenticity cuts through the noise.
3. Get creative with budgets: Innovate within your means. Sometimes less is more.
4. Hyperfocus on your audience: Indentify their needs and pains on every step of their journey and address them with your content.
5. Learn continuously: Things change, so be curious and keep learning. Adaptability is your superpower.
And finally, a bonus one:
6. Choose the right creative partner (like us 😎) to make sure you have a steady stream of high-quality, compelling content to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
How often do you get a chance to work on a project promoting the landmarks that shaped European integration? 🤩🇪🇺 We had one quite recently, so it's shameless bragging time 😎
Every two years, the European Commission selects new sites to join a prestigious list of European Heritage Sites. On behalf of the EHSL Bureau, GOPA PACE chose Black Rabbit to boost the visibility of these incredible locations by creating some captivating photo and video content.
Our journey took us across seven European countries (the Netherlands, Brussels, Italy, Spain, Romania, Finland and Germany), where we captured the essence and historical significance of each site.
Today, we are excited to share one of the videos we shot in Bucharest. Check it out below and see how the story of European integration unfolds through our lens 🎥
Credits:
Cinematographer and Operator: Krystian Bielatowicz
Creative Directress: Dominika Rutkowska
Producer: Marcin Idzinski
Production Manager: Kamil Dąbrowski
Post: Krystian Bielatowicz and Bartosz Majcher
Executive Creative Director: Wojtek Jezowski
Executive Producer and Client Service Directress: Ewa Jabłonowska
Agency: Black Rabbit
Production House: Brave Productions
You know that feeling when your device slips from your hand? Kinda like your life is flashing before your eyes and you're already feeling the dread of moving or restoring your data...
Yep, us too. That's why it was so much fun smashing phones in our latest collaboration with Fingersoft (they're the creators of the addictive Hill Climb Racing games!).
To present their new Fingersoft ID feature, we made three videos showing that even if your device decides to take an unexpected... well, break 🤪, your game won't have to. Check them out below ⤵️
PS: Looking for video content that will keep your audience glued to their screens? Let's chat!
⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺
Hi. We're Black Rabbit. We help create the right content for the right audience.
Consistently... and with a dash of business empathy.
In a world of repetitive and dull B2B technology video content, be the marketer who tells stories your audience actually cares about. Start a project at blackrabbit.pl
B2B marketers rejoice. It's all you've always wanted. Proof that focusing on product features and talking about yourself is the perfect mix for making your ICPs buy your product or service.
Our latest masterpiece is crafted with the best-of-breed stock footage solutions sprinkled with the finest B2B jargon, anonymous and unrelated testimonials and proof points as well as dynamic background music (that we didn't even bother to pay for)!
Okay, just kidding 🤪 This April Fool's Day, we decided to flip the script and create a stellar example of how NOT to make a B2B video—or any type of video, for that matter. Seriously, don't do it.
So, here's a quick rundown of what's wrong with our little B2B masterpiece:
1. Not knowing what your audience cares about or what makes them tick... (tbh, we guessed you'd find it funny though :P )
2. Not knowing what we want to say, so we try to say everything.
3. Not being sure what we want to do with the video—that's a pet peeve of ours—creating a long explainer video and then wanting it to perform as a lead gen ad. Just make up your mind.
4. Using tech and marketing jargon that means nothing. There's zero differentiation.
5. Boasting data without any context is irrelevant to the customer.
6. Talking about how passionate about technology we are. No one cares. Seriously.
7. Focusing on ourselves instead of the customers.
8. Listing overcomplicated features in the false hope it will make us look trustworthy.
9. Using anonymous testimonials with no context that say nothing about how we work. Well, maybe Procurement can be happy that we "fulfilled the SOW." :D
10. We make the customer jump through hoops to find out how much our service costs.
11. Making fun of Demand Gen and Brand Awareness.
12. Having a stupid promotion with an equally foolish guarantee.
13. Using low-quality and unrelated stock images with bad design.
14. Selecting forgettable background music that adds nothing to the video - leaving the audio watermark was
$ 1,130,000 in just two days! Sounds impressive?
Sure is. That's why we love going to Vancouver for Pwn2Own.
Last week, contestants earned this nice sum of money for successfully hacking all four web browsers and a Tesla.
And you thought those infosec events were boring, didn't you? 😎
We had the pleasure to join Trend Micro in Vancouver for yet another epic Pwn2Own event to capture the emotions (yes, hacking contests can truly reach an e-sports level of competitiveness), some historic moments, and a bit of plain old fun.
Like this. Doesn’t it look like a regular day at the office? 🤪
PS: you can watch the full event video on our 💼 LinkedIn!