Unveiling the Power of B2P Marketing: How Agnostic is Taking the Silos out of Targeting
In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing and communications, it's easy to get caught up in traditional targeting methods. However, at Agnostic, we recognise that regardless of whether it's B2B or B2C, at the end of the day, it's about connecting with people. It’s important for us, as industry experts, to stay grounded in the human experience with a focus on what that looks and feels like to audiences.
I want to dive into the concept of B2P (Business to People) marketing and how it relates to our work as a strategic communications agency, by exploring how our team transcends traditional boundaries to forge genuine connections with audiences and why this guarantees impact for our clients.
The Pitfalls of Traditional Targeting
At Agnostic, we often joke that people don't wake up in the morning thinking, "Today, I'm going to consume only B2B content." As humans, we gravitate towards what resonates with our interests, needs, and aspirations, regardless of its categorisation.
By rigidly adhering to B2B or B2C distinctions, marketers risk missing out on valuable opportunities to connect with audiences on a deeper level. They may overlook shared human experiences, emotions, and desires that transcend traditional business-consumer relationships. This narrow focus can result in messaging that feels impersonal or disconnected from the audience's reality, ultimately leading to reduced engagement.
Canadians, regardless of their age, job, gender or where they live, are consuming content. According to Statistics Canada more than half of Canadians consume news daily, and 80% are consuming it from the internet. Another 67% are getting their news from TV. The line between what’s B2B and B2C is blurred, and we need to be reaching audiences - and decision makers - where they are.
This is what we call our Trojan Horse approach. We root our work in what is going to resonate with your audience, regardless of vertical. It can be a challenge to help our clients understand the power of B2P when we are all so entrenched in segment marketing. But once you see the power of it in action, it speaks for itself.
In fact, during a message training session for one of our clients we received significant feedback about the value of even doing earned media at all. The client’s view was “I don’t need to see my name in the paper - I need to close deals.”
However, his perception quickly changed when our article, in the front section of a national news outlet, led to an inbound call for government consultation on that direct topic.
In reality, PR is the fuel that keeps a new lead pipeline running. Earned media and the brand awareness it generates builds trust in a business, which is essential for investors, industry stakeholders, consumers and employees. Earned thought leadership is proof that an organization genuinely knows what they're doing, giving potential customers another reason to choose you.
B2P marketing acknowledges that regardless of the context - whether it's a professional transaction or a personal purchase - the human element remains constant and central to effective communication and relationship-building.
Understanding "That's Me Moments"
At Agnostic, we recognise that successful marketing goes beyond simply conveying a message; it's about forging a meaningful connection with the audience.We use the term "That's Me Moments" to describe those instances where audiences see themselves reflected in our messages.
This is an approach we’ve taken for countless clients. For example, for one of our tech clients that sells collaboration and cybersecurity tools to businesses, we created a survey on the future of work that spoke directly to people trying to navigate the delicate balance of working remotely and in the office. The campaign took place in 2022–a time when the future of work was on everyone’s mind. The discussion was evolving everyday, and we needed to find the right way to insert the brand into the conversation.
The survey created the “That’s Me Moment”--it illustrated the challenges people were facing and their strong desire for hybrid work settings. While it engaged a much broader consumer audience, it helped position our client as a leader in providing the hybrid work solutions that employees desire.
Similarly, brands can leverage "That's Me Moments" by showcasing diverse representation and inclusivity in their marketing materials. When individuals see themselves represented authentically in advertisements, they feel validated and valued by the brand.
Implementing B2P Strategies at Agnostic
At Agnostic, we’ve woven the B2P philosophy into the fabric of everything we do. It emerges in three key ways.
- Insights: We go beyond surface-level demographics to uncover the motivations, aspirations, and pain points of our target audience.
- Empathy: We put ourselves in the shoes of our audience, striving to understand their perspectives and experiences. This helps us to create content that is not only relevant but also emotionally resonant.
- Authenticity: We believe in being transparent in our communications, building trust and credibility with our audience. By showing vulnerability, admitting mistakes, and actively listening to feedback, we demonstrate our commitment to forging meaningful relationships.
In a world inundated with marketing messages, the key to standing out lies in recognising the universal humanity that binds us all. While there's still room for B2B or B2C approaches, at Agnostic we challenge ourselves to discover new ways to connect on a personal level.
