B2B marketing: 7 emerging channels to watch
Photo credit: The Architect’s Newspaper
08.05.25
Team IVC
B2B marketing: 7 emerging channels to watch
Last fall, the Louis Vuitton flagship store on East 57th St in New York had a problem to solve —making the unsightly scaffolding surrounding its building that was under renovation less of an eyesore that might deter potential customers from engaging with its brand. Its in-house marketing team decided the answer was to turn the entire building into the brand’s signature luggage. The result? An iconic brand moment that stopped people in their tracks—and practically begged to be posted on social. The activation garnered a good deal of press as well.
While the Louis Vuitton activation was larger than most, B2C brands frequently leverage similar tactics and emerging marketing channels to boost brand awareness and drive conversions. So, can B2B brands tap into new marketing channels to create a comparable impact on their audiences? Absolutely. Here’s why investing in emerging channels makes sense for your B2B brand—plus seven examples you can use to stand out, energize your prospects, and “Own Every Moment” with your audiences.
Why B2B brands should invest in emerging marketing channels
Emerging marketing channels are newer, less established ways for brands to reach potential customers, often in the places they already spend their time, both online and offline. As we mentioned in our post on omnichannel campaigns, the goal is to connect with people on their terms. A creative director once said, “The best brands are on the way of their customers, and not in the way of their purchase journey.” It’s a great reminder that marketing works best when it fits naturally into the customer’s experience.
These channels can also help you get noticed by people who don’t know your brand yet, and give you a chance to explain what makes you different. They’re also useful internally, for things like keeping employees informed and engaged. And because they’re less saturated than traditional platforms, they may offer stronger returns, making them a smart place to invest early.
7 emerging channels B2B brands explore
If your B2B brand wants to explore emerging channels, expect to test and experiment to find the right platforms, messages, and approaches. And remember: these channels will likely evolve—so your strategy should, too. Here are seven we like, along with examples of brands putting them to work:
1. Out-of-home
Billboards have been a popular choice for B2C brands since they were invented to promote the circus in 1835, but they are still an emerging channel for B2B brands. Think about putting your message in airports, along highways, or even on the Las Vegas Strip. In 2023, we helped Siemens and AWS create an award-winning out-of-home campaign as part of their strategy to promote their partnership in the technology ecosystem.
2. Micro influencers
B2B brands can skip the mega influencers with millions of followers and expensive price tags. Many industries have their own nano (1,000-10,000 followers) and micro (10,000-100,000 followers) influencers, whom we may refer to as “thought leaders.” They help brands reach niche audiences while spending less per post. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, nano influencers have an engagement rate of 7.2% while mega influencers have a rate of 1.4%.
Influencer campaigns can work in most industries. Cisco created the Cisco Champions Campaign, where IT experts influence their community. The Champions get perks like early access to new products and the chance to participate in beta testing. Similarly, Adobe has a long-standing influencer program that activates thought leaders with early access to products and events.
3. Documentary-style video
Documentaries can tell a story that evokes deep emotions. Use this channel to educate your audience on your brand story, increase awareness of an area that your brand values, and create emotional employee engagement campaigns. The winners of the Webby Awards 2025 Video category, ServiceNow and Google Play, both used this video style to achieve different goals.
4. Brand collabs
B2B brands can unite their efforts in many ways from creating a limited-time product or service to creating co-branded events, webinars, social content, podcasts, or video series. Brand collaboration gives you broader reach among your partner’s audience and a unique offering to engage your own current audience.
Many B2B brands use this channel to expand their network and capabilities. For example, Fiverr partnered with a business photographer to create social media backgrounds and Dotdigital hosts co-branded webinars with various partners. Collaborating enhances the value of each brand to consumers and unlocks greater reach for each brand, respectively.
5. Event activations
Go beyond the straightforward exhibit hall booth and create an entire experience for your brand’s audience that might even surprise them. With a brand activation at an industry event, you can generate more leads, build relationships, and demonstrate products. You can also clearly demonstrate the brand elements that differentiate you from your competitors.
During Dell Technologies World, we helped Dell build a giant tree out of recycled cardboard shipping containers in the middle of the expo. We covered it with LED lighting that responded to users’ interactions. The unexpected experience became the heart of the event and embedded Dell’s sustainability message in participants’ minds in a way that was both surprising and engaging.
Circular Oak Tree at Dell Technologies World
6. AR/VR experiences
Technology opens the doors to create entirely new worlds for prospects to explore. When the sky is no longer the limit, brands find that prospects spend longer periods of time with the marketing experience and engage more deeply with the brand storytelling.
Invision worked with Gartner to bring its predictive research to life in an immersive, interactive VR journey, garnering a Hermes creative award. Attendees stepped into a fully realized 2045 spaceport, where they took on AI-powered challenges, from assisting with AI-restricted homework to solving workplace crises in a fully immersive 360-degree simulation.
7. Road shows
Bring your message to your prospects, literally, with a traveling road show. Host a series of regional events that bring communities together or visit specific clients with an impactful experience. A traveling event experience was one way Adobe connected with its audiences. It called its road show Creative Jam Tours, which was a series of events held in cities around the country that allowed users to interact with Adobe as well as each other.
Finding success with emerging channels
B2C brands do not hold exclusive rights to leveraging the extensive benefits of emerging marketing channels. Just as many possibilities exist for B2B brands to channel their inner Louis Vuitton and “Own Every Moment” with their prospects to engage with them in unexpected ways and places. Creating these unique touchpoints moves prospects through their buying journey.
Invision partners with B2B brands to create and execute innovative marketing strategies in emerging marketing channels. It utilizes its team’s combination of strategic know-how and creative prowess to shape experiences that meet the overarching business goals of the brand.
To learn more about Invision’s work in emerging channels, contact info@iv.com today.