How to make brand matter in a B2B company

A skeptical CMO once asked me, “Does brand really matter in B2B?”

She pointed to Nvidia’s lack of traditional brand building. My response? Jensen Huang is the brand. He’s everywhere. He’s one of the most compelling voices in AI.

But unless you’ve got your own Jensen on speed dial, you’ll need other ways to build brand. If you don’t, you’ll fall behind as your market matures and competitors multiply.

Too many B2B leaders conflate brand with splashy ads. But you don’t need a billboard on 101 to build belief. Here are two underused levers:

1. Events Are Brand, IRL

In B2B, events make your brand tangible. Dreamforce isn’t just a conference—it’s a belief system.

Great events:

• Broadcast what you stand for

• Make customers feel part of something bigger

• Turn users into evangelists

Attendees should walk away with more than product updates—they should know why your company matters.

2. Customer Success Is Brand

In B2B, brand often hides in the margins—onboarding, support, follow-up.

Notion’s help center? Brand voice gold.
Snowflake’s SnoPro certification? A brand asset.

Every touchpoint is a chance to reinforce who you are. Are you making the most of each one?

Bottom line:
B2B buyers may be practical, but they still have emotions and can get connected to brands they love.
The best B2B brands don’t just close deals. They build belief.