When it comes to getting noticed, B2C marketers have long been willing to push the boundaries of campaign design, as shown by these eye-catching examples from Nestlé and Dove.
For B2B marketers, creating great visual content is only half the challenge. Whether it’s short-form video, animation, motion graphics or AI-assisted creative, the real task is cutting through a constant stream of content and providing a reason to stop, look and engage.
Delivering a strong visual and digital experience for the user is no longer a differentiator; it is increasingly the baseline.
Continual innovation through gamification and interactive design
The tricky thing about capturing attention is that the goalposts keep moving. Something that was different enough to stop the scroll last month may well not do the same a month later. To counter this, firms need to embrace continual innovation.
One way to achieve this is through gamification. Our work with St John Ambulance illustrates how this approach can drive awareness. In one asset for this campaign, we designed an interactive, scenario-based experience where users had to make split-second first aid decisions to save a life.
By building custom elements in Rive, we can embed highly interactive features directly into the experience – crafting everything from custom UI, charts and menus, to quizzes, mini-games and branching narratives.
As digital design shifts towards interactive storytelling, Rive has emerged as an essential tool. Seamlessly bridging the gap between static design and real-time code enables us to build interactive logic right into the asset – so what is designed is exactly what ships.
Breaking down barriers with accessible design tools and AI
While continual innovation may seem daunting, there is also some good news for B2B marketers when it comes to cost.
The advance of technology, both in terms of hardware and software, means that many of the design tools needed are now more affordable and accessible. The rise of free applications and apps with free tiers like Affinity, Canva, Cavalry and Figma makes it easier to learn a wide variety of tools fast.
For visual ideation, Figma Weave uses an AI-powered, node-based workflow that allows designers to feed their references, mood boards and concept prompts into an image generator to mock up the idea. This rapid prototyping helps us to quickly get the visual idea across, leaving more time to create the work with traditional tools.
The exciting part is how AI is becoming part of the tools we use every day. Rive now has a smart design assistant, while Cinema 4D’s new AI technology lets us direct 3D scenes using natural language – taking care of the heavy lifting so designers can focus on creative direction, composition and bringing stories to life.
The long-form opportunity: scrollytelling and data visualisation
Long-form content can benefit from the same approach. Dense text can challenge even the most committed reader, while scrollytelling makes complex subjects more engaging by introducing information in stages, with visuals unfolding alongside the narrative.
This effective Financial Times piece on data centres, for example, enables the scroll to drive the action [paywall]. Dynamic scroll animations make the invisible 'cloud' and its staggering physical footprint instantly tangible. See also this great explainer on US tariffs from Reuters.
We take this same approach when solving complex data visualisation problems for our clients.
Our interactive map for Daikin, for instance, maps emission reductions against cost savings across different building and fuel types. Rather than crowding a static infographic, we built an interactive experience that lets users explore and discover the data on their own terms.
The principle doesn’t require an elaborate interactive build, either. Tools such as Flourish let teams combine charts, maps and captions into scroll-led stories without writing code, bringing this approach within reach of more editorial and design teams.
Increasingly, the most effective long-form content is designed as an experience, with text and visuals working together to shape the reader’s journey. A chart, sequence or contextual image can break up dense information, add meaning and keep the story moving.
Choosing the right B2B creative and marketing partner
As the tools become more accessible, choosing the right expertise to use them becomes increasingly important. That makes the choice of creative partner critical. Whoever is designing and writing your content needs a deep understanding of your messaging, brand and audience.
At Formative, our team of designers and animators works alongside an experienced team of journalists, bringing together creative expertise with strong PR instincts, an eye for AI discoverability and a real nose for the story that will grab attention.
There is still plenty of scope for B2B marketing to be bolder and more experimental from a design perspective. Businesses prepared to challenge convention have an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and showcase themselves as innovative, forward-thinking companies.
When an organisation posts content on social media, it shows its public face to the world – and puts its reputation on the line. An innovative, experimental and open approach to design can help businesses avoid seeming outdated, while creating opportunities to connect with new or different audiences.
Key takeaways:
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The new B2B baseline: The user now expects the same intuitive, engaging and user-centric digital experiences they get from their favourite B2C brands.
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Continual innovation: Exploring dynamic approaches like gamification and interactive storytelling can help brands cut through the noise and capture attention.
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AI-assisted design: Smart tools and AI agents are handling the heavy lifting, freeing up creative teams to focus on strategy, composition and visual storytelling.
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Experiential long-form content: Transforming dense text and complex data into interactive "scrollytelling" journeys makes difficult subjects highly engaging.
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Strategic partnerships: Creating standout work requires a creative partner that blends design expertise with strong PR instincts, AI discoverability and journalistic storytelling.
Looking for a new design direction? Get in touch to find out how we can help: hello@formative.agency
