Advertising to businesses: Does creativity matter?

Business-to-business advertising research has long been grounded in rationality with a focus on factual, functional, benefit-laden messages. However, in consumer advertising, psychological differentiators, such creativity, are frequently used to increase advertising effectiveness. With growing evidence that consumer marketing concepts apply to business buyers, this research investigates the effect advertising creativity has on the organizational buying process. Using an online survey, we present actual advertisements to managers in the B2B environment. Our results provide strong evidence that message creativity influences business managers' response toward advertising for site selection. Creative ads generated stronger shifts in attitudes toward the ad, attitudes toward the brand, and behavioral intentions. The results extend previous research on the role of creativity in advertising to a business-to-business context. The results also challenge conventional wisdom and dominant practices in advertising to businesses.