$400 billion. That’s what IT companies globally spent on marketing in 2023. But for all the ad dollars flying around, how many tech brands can you instantly recall—beyond the usual suspects like Apple or Google?
For most B2B tech firms, the answer is sobering: billions spent, minimal recall, and even less emotional connection. Flashy campaigns and digital blitzes may drive reach, but not relevance. And certainly not reputation.
So, here’s the real question:
Are IT marketers investing in growth, or just fuelling the metrics treadmill?
The Ad Spend Surge: Big Budgets, Low Impact
According to Gartner, global IT marketing budgets topped $400 billion in 2023. Most of it went into digital ads, sponsorships, and trade events. But despite the spend, brand recall remains below 25% for the majority of IT brands.
If money alone built brands, every tech firm would be a household name.
Clearly, the playbook needs an upgrade.
The Vanity Metrics Trap: Reach ≠ Relevance
Impressions. Clicks. Views.
They look impressive on a dashboard, but do little to build brand equity or buyer trust. A recent LinkedIn B2B report revealed that 77% of tech marketers over-index on short-term lead generation, at the cost of long-term brand building.
The truth is stark, though.
A million views mean nothing if no one remembers your name over a three-month period, or what you stand for as a brand and organization.
The Creative Gap: Where’s the Soul in Tech Marketing?
When was the last time you felt a strong connection with an IT brand campaign?
Exactly.
While B2C brands tap into emotion, IT marketing remains stuck in features and acronyms. But here’s what matters:
95% of B2B buyers say they prefer brands that spark emotion—yet only 15% of IT campaigns manage to do so (Salesforce study).
Tech needs to humanize more. To tell more stories. To shift from specs to substance.
Two standout examples of emotionally resonant B2B storytelling come from Microsoft and IBM. Microsoft’s “Empowering Us All” campaign, aired during the Super Bowl, spotlighted adaptive gaming controllers that enabled children with disabilities to play like their peers. While the product was consumer-facing, the brand halo it created was powerful for enterprise audiences too, showcasing Microsoft’s commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and real-world impact. On the other hand, IBM’s “Every Second Counts” campaign brought to life the role of AI in emergency response systems. Rather than focusing on features or dashboards, the ad captured the human urgency of saving lives, positioning IBM’s technology as a critical, compassionate partner in high-stakes moments. Both campaigns proved that even in B2B, emotion drives memorability and trust far more than specs ever could.
Brand Recall is the Long Game—And It Pays Off
McKinsey data shows that companies allocating 50%+ of their marketing to brand-building see 2x growth versus those fixated on performance marketing alone.
Brand = memory. And memory = market.
And yet, most B2B tech orgs focus on short-term objectives, ignoring the importance of investing in a strong brand narrative. While the temptation to do so is strong, as B2B marketers, you need to ask yourselves, would you rather be a passing ad—or a trusted brand people turn to when stakes are high?
So Where Should the Smart Money Go?
Strategic Storytelling
Explain what you do, without sounding like everyone else. Anchor in real customer pain points addressed and outcomes achieved.
Community Engagement
Build tribes, not just leads. Run CXOs roundtables, Slack forums, private AMAs—create sticky conversations.
Immersive Content
AI-personalised explainers, interactive webinars, video-led POVs. Make your content binge-worthy, not boring and brochure-like.
How Bunjy Helps IT Brands Cut Through the Noise
At Bunjy, we work with tech firms that want to be remembered, not just noticed.
Our branding playbooks blend:
- Data-backed insight + emotional storytelling
- Deep domain understanding + compelling content narratives + crisp creative execution
- Content ecosystems built for engagement and conversion
If your brand sounds like everyone else’s, let’s fix that.
It’s time to ditch the digital waste and double down on lasting value.
Let’s build a brand that doesn’t just show up, but stands out. Ready to begin?
