The Breakdown
Trend · B2B gets funny (and social)
B2B marketing is finally allowed to be funny
B2B: business-to-business
Marketing Week ran two stories in a week on humour becoming B2B (business-to-business)'s ‘weapon of choice’, plus a study naming social as B2B's top brand-building channel. Business buyers are people too.
The TL;DR (too long; didn't read)
- Humour cuts through in a category known for being dull.
- The best B2B jokes start from a real industry truth.
- Social is where B2B brands are building fame.
01
Why humour, why B2B?
B2B ads are often interchangeable: stock photos, jargon, ‘solutions’. Humour makes a brand distinct and memorable.
02
Start with the truth
Marketing Week's piece argues funny B2B work starts with ‘a sideways look at the truth’: a shared frustration buyers recognise. The laugh comes from recognition.
03
Brand building matters in B2B too
Most business buyers aren't buying right now. Being memorable means you're remembered when they are.
Read the original reporting
- ‘Nothing to lose’: How humour became B2B’s weapon of choice ↗
Marketing Week · 24 Sept 2026
- A funny B2B campaign starts with a sideways look at the truth ↗
Marketing Week · 24 Sept 2026
- Social top brand building channel in B2B, study finds ↗
Marketing Week · 28 Sept 2026
The theory bit
The academic ideas that explain what's going on, with the full reference for your assignments.
Humour in advertising
Humour reliably boosts attention and liking; it works best when it's related to the product rather than a gag bolted on.
Here: Humour grabs attention and builds liking, especially when it's related to the product.
Weinberger, M. G. & Gulas, C. S. (1992). The Impact of Humor in Advertising: A Review. Journal of Advertising, 21(4).
The 95:5 rule
At any time only about 5% of B2B buyers are ‘in market’. The other 95% will buy later, so brand building for future buyers matters.
Here: Only ~5% of B2B buyers are in market at any time, so memorable brand work reaches the other 95% before they buy.
Dawes, J. (2021). Advertising Effectiveness and the 95-5 Rule. LinkedIn B2B Institute / Ehrenberg-Bass Institute.
Over to you
No right answers here. These are to get you thinking. Jot your ideas down or chat them through.
- 1
What's the most frustrating part of a job you've done? Could that be funny?
Need a nudge?
Meetings, admin, emails.
- 2
When could humour backfire in B2B?
Need a nudge?
Serious products, offending clients.
- 3
Why might social suit B2B brand building?
Need a nudge?
People scroll at work too.
Optional · about 10 minutes
Your mini task
In 60–120 words: pick a B2B product (accounting software, office furniture, a recruitment service). Find a real frustration its buyers share and turn it into a funny campaign idea for social.