MAM
For a B2B brand, marketing needs to have a deeply symbiotic relationship with sales
Marketing for a B2B brand is becoming more personalised than ever before. Sounds counter-intuitive, right? After all, B2B essentially means selling to a ‘business’, which is a huge entity, and, hence, impersonal. However, in the constantly ‘disrupted’ business world of today, the reality could not be farther from the truth. B2C should ideally be personalised, but in reality it is targeted to a broader set of consumers, neatly grouped and profiled based on certain demographics. B2B, on the other hand, has become much more individualised. Marketing to a business means selling to the key decision-maker(s) in the organisation. Hence, for a B2B brand, marketing and sales are no longer two distinct functions. Rather, the relationship has grown more symbiotic and stronger, aligned for faster growth and greater success.
A paradigm shift
For a B2B brand, marketing is no longer merely about generating or cultivating leads and directing the same towards sales for further engagement. It is about laying foundations for a long-term relationship, the first step in creating a long-lasting relationship, which will then be built upon by the sales team. For ensuring success of the brand, B2B marketers need to take a holistic view, thinking in terms of not just engaging the business customer at the other end, but also how the product/service they are selling will impact the buyer’s end – the consumers. This needs a paradigm shift in the way marketing strategies are drawn up – the consumer experience of the end-buyer needs to be factored into the strategy, for not just a competitive advantage, but with the intention of fostering lasting relationships.
Marketing and Sales in B2Bs – A Synergistic Relationship
With multiple channels of sales, and the increasing trend of online purchases, even for B2B, what becomes paramount is building on the symbiotic nature of marketing and sales for optimizing revenues. Most brands are investing in marketing automation and using technology to increase visibility and digital awareness of the brand, through content marketing, social media, innovation, etc. But merely using social media to build brand awareness is not really productive for B2Bs if there are no close and frequent interactions with the person(s) at the other end.
On the other hand, the sale cycle in a B2B can often be a long-drawn-out cycle, needing multiple personal visits and calls. This is why the two teams need to collaborate. The synchronisation of sales and marketing efforts can lead to reduced sale-cycle while boosting revenues. Marketing facilitates sales by identifying potential and engaged customers. In this era of readily-available information, where brands compete and clamour for attention, a proactive marketing strategy can tilt the balance by arming potential buyers with solutions, volunteering expert knowledge, or offering guarantees for performance and services.
B2B business platforms are also transforming, as the impact of newer models and disruptive practices spreads.
LinkedIn and Facebook are good examples. Social platforms launched for P2P interaction, these have grown into P2B / B2P, seamlessly allowing for both personal and business relationships to co-exist. The traditional ‘sales funnel’ model has been transformed by the ubiquitous reach of the internet and digital technology to a multi-channel one. Discerning customers, armed with information, having meticulously researched and reviewed the product/service on offer, seek not just quick, convenient solutions, but also relevant and reliable ones. To succeed with the newer sales funnel, B2B brands require closer and deeper integration of marketing and sales, a cohesive effort which will facilitate a seamless experience for their customers, both current and potential.
If marketing is the first step, then sale is the closing act. Without one, the other would not succeed. The deeply woven threads between the two create the intricate fabric for business success.
(The author is vice president sales & marketing, Sodexo BRS India. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
