Who says B2B tech brands don’t have personality?

This month’s insights come from two of our brand, strategy and creative experts:

Simon Heath heads up our brand and planning team. For over 25 years, he’s shaped marketing strategies for some big names. We mean B2C giants like Barclays, Unilever, Dove, American Express. And B2B finance and fintech leaders like CCC and SS&C Advent.

Alex Tompkins is Creative Director for our creative marketing team. He’s got tons of experience, working with global powerhouses like Pfizer, Mastercard, and HSBC. Alex is all about blending strategic creativity with sharp audience insight to create campaigns that genuinely connect.

Can B2B tech brands have “personality”?

As a team that considers making brands more relatable – dare we say, human – a personal mission, we could talk about this all day. But let’s get straight to the point: yes, they absolutely can. And they should.

First, what is “personality”? It’s “the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.” For brands, it’s about those qualities that make them unmistakably themselves – how they show up, what they say, and how they make people feel.

So, why do people think B2B tech lacks personality? It’s partly because brands in this space have traditionally played it safe. They stick to rationality, jargon, and that oh-so-tempting middle ground of doing what everyone else does. After all, showing personality means having confidence – in who you are, what you stand for, and how you stand out.

Take Squarespace. You might remember their “Make Your Next Move” campaign featuring none other than John Malkovich (and others like Winona Ryder). In it, Malkovich – somewhat existentially – tries to launch his own fashion line, using Squarespace to power his vision. It’s clever, inspiring, and just a little bit eccentric, much like Malkovich himself. The result? A campaign that didn’t just sell a website platform – it sold a dream, beautifully packaged in personality and purpose.

Or how about Hiscox Insurance and their recent “Disastrous” campaign? While many B2B brands stick to the safety of digital, Hiscox went all-in on a bold OOH (out-of-home) strategy. The campaign’s scenarios – think minor disasters like spilt paint or broken shelves – were instantly relatable, beautifully crafted, and packed with clever humour.

It’s not easy for a B2B brand to feel at home in spaces more tied to B2C advertising, but Hiscox pulled it off. The special build executions were particularly smart, making the campaign highly visible, memorable, and (most importantly) shareable on social media. It’s proof that personality, when combined with the right media strategy, can place a brand miles ahead of its competitors.

Then there’s software company Workday, who took a swing at the Super Bowl ad space with their “Rockstar” campaign. Featuring a host of legendary rockstars like Billy Idol, the campaign stepped away from the usual “product, product, product” messaging to bring humour and a whole lot of personality to the table.

The results? A 14% rise in brand awareness, a 65% boost in brand consideration, and over 4.3 billion impressions. By doubling down on the campaign with follow-ups featuring Gwen Stefani and Travis Barker, Workday showed how daring to be different – and human – can deliver big wins.

B2B tech brands don’t just need personality – they need the confidence to show it. But this doesn’t come out of thin air; it comes from having a rock-solid brand strategy. This gives a brand its sense of self – its purpose, values, and tone – and makes it easier to break away from the sea of sameness. Without strategy, personality risks becoming just a gimmick. But with it, it’s the glue that connects everything a brand does.

So, next time someone tells you B2B is boring, send them this. Let’s stop pretending personality is optional and start showing that even the most technical, complex brands can be human. They just need the right strategy – and the guts to use it.