Adzact Awards September 2024

Welcome to the Adzact B2B Ad Awards, where we celebrate innovation and creativity in B2B digital advertising. Our panel of experts has meticulously reviewed a selection of ads, evaluating them based on creativity, clarity of messaging, emotional impact, and audience targeting. These awards aim to recognise the best in class, highlighting ads that not only captivate audiences but also effectively communicate the brand's message and value proposition.

Hosts

Tom Gatten and Flora McPhail were joined by marketing experts to discuss the topic.

Judging Panellists

• Harry Paines - Marketing Specialist at Genesys

• Jake Smith - Head of Branded Content at AccountingWEB

• Raj Mehta - Marketing Head for Europe and Africa at LTIMindtree

• Lucy Nicoll, Social and Paid Media Manager at Changeworks

• Yash Aggarwal, Microsoft Partner Marketing Manager at Canonical

The Nominated Ads

Salesforce

Salesforce’s ad features Matthew McConaughey in a Western-themed setting, conveying a message about data security in the AI era. The high production values, coupled with a celebrity, appeal to a broad audience and enhance brand awareness. Lucy Nicoll appreciated the combination of old and new themes, creating an emotional connection across generations.

Yash Aggarwal noted that while the ad was creative, it didn’t delve deeply into customer pain points. Jake Smith highlighted that viewers unfamiliar with the specific problem of AI data security might be confused. Harry Paines agreed, suggesting that more specific targeting would improve the ad’s effectiveness. Raj Mehta emphasised the need for clearer messaging depending on the audience.

Overall Feedback: A high-budget, emotionally resonant ad with strong brand appeal, but it could benefit from more focused messaging around Salesforce’s AI solutions.

Front

Front’s ad series begins with a humorous, mannequin-based depiction of customer service frustrations, followed by a detailed product explainer. Yash Aggarwal found the humour effective for capturing attention, but Lucy Nicoll critiqued the ad for lacking emotional engagement, calling it “cold” and “unimaginative.”

Jake Smith noted the disjointed transition between the humorous first ad and the more corporate explainer, which might lose viewers’ interest. Harry Paines agreed, stating that the second part felt too serious in comparison to the creative tone of the first.

Raj Mehta suggested a more balanced approach, combining the creativity with concise product information for a smoother and more engaging narrative.

Overall Feedback: Front’s ad series captures initial attention with humour but needs a more consistent tone and integration of product information to maintain viewer engagement.

AppsFlyer

AppsFlyer’s ad blends humour and product demonstration to explain how its AI technology optimises creative performance. The transformation of a human character into a cat was particularly well-received, adding a light-hearted touch while effectively showcasing the platform’s functionality.

Lucy Nicoll praised the ad for its clarity and relatability, though she suggested that more focus on the product’s system would be beneficial. Yash Aggarwal appreciated the ad’s creativity and balance between entertainment and information. Raj Mehta also lauded the ad for its succinct messaging, and Harry Paines commended the use of humour to keep the audience engaged.

Overall Feedback: A standout ad that perfectly balances creativity, humour, and product clarity, making it highly effective in communicating its value proposition.

Pega

Pega’s ad used stock footage to explain its low-code platform, relying on humour with the repetitive “It’s not this; it’s this” trope. However, both Yash Aggarwal and Lucy Nicoll criticised the overuse of stock imagery, calling it uninspired and disconnected from the product message.

Jake Smith found the humour forced, while Raj Mehta felt the ad was too long and overly reliant on buzzwords. Lucy Nicoll suggested that a clearer display of the platform’s functionality would have enhanced the ad.

Overall Feedback: Pega’s ad could improve by reducing its reliance on stock footage and humour while focusing more on the platform’s unique benefits.

Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus’s ad focused on premium e-commerce brands, showcasing the platform’s flexibility and customisation options for international businesses. Yash Aggarwal noted the simplicity and clarity of the ad but felt it lacked a strong emotional hook. Lucy Nicoll pointed out that the ad felt reminiscent of tech ads from Apple or Airbnb, which detracted from its originality.

Flora McPhail suggested that the ad’s focus on high-end products might alienate smaller businesses. Harry Paines and Raj Mehta both recommended a clearer distinction between Shopify and Shopify Plus, as the differences between the two platforms weren’t sufficiently highlighted.

Overall Feedback: A clean and well-targeted ad for premium brands, but it needs to more clearly differentiate Shopify Plus from its standard offering.

Rippling

Rippling’s ad presents its global HR, IT, and finance platform with humour and fast-paced visuals. Lucy Nicoll enjoyed the subtle nods to its global audience, such as signage referencing cities around the world, but Yash Aggarwal felt the humour was inconsistent and that the ad relied too heavily on buzzwords without a clear narrative.

Jake Smith appreciated the clarity in the messaging but agreed that a stronger emotional connection could make the ad more relatable. Harry Paines echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the ad could benefit from focusing more on the user’s pain points.

Overall Feedback: A visually engaging ad with strong messaging, but it could improve by creating a more cohesive and emotionally resonant narrative.

And the Winner is…

After careful consideration and analysis, AppsFlyer emerges as the overall winner of this month’s B2B Ad Awards. The ad’s perfect balance of humour, product clarity, and audience engagement set it apart. Salesforce is the runner-up, recognised for its high production values and impactful brand messaging despite some ambiguity in targeting.

We congratulate all participants for their efforts in pushing the boundaries of B2B digital advertising. We look forward to seeing more innovative and creative campaigns in the coming year.