The 2024 edition of the Superpowers Index by dentsu B2B presents a rich set of findings that delve into understanding and optimising B2B buyer experience.
The Index is a powerful benchmarking and diagnostic tool constructed to explain the relationship between buyer experience and commercial outcomes, the report would cover in no particular order, these trends:
1. Fine margins and growing competitive pressure in B2B marketing.
There is diminishing differentiation between brands. In fact, the gap between winning and losing brands has shrunk by 78%.This is compounded by the many more brands that buyers now consider, on average – 62% more brands – as well as expanded decision groups that now have 7.4 stakeholders on average. To compete in this environment, brands must successfully differentiate on buyer experience
2. The rise of personal decision drivers over professional factors.
In 2024, for the first time personal decision drivers (e.g., feeling safe, brand values alignment, opportunities to learn) outweigh professional ones like price or efficiency. This marks a behavioural shift in B2B, one that emphasises trust, brand ethics, and relevance to individuals. Emotional connection and personal resonance now play a central role in deal-making, demanding a strategic pivot in B2B engagement.
3. Brand building in B2B: A differentiation initiative
How do B2B buyers perceive current brand communication efforts? 71% of marketers believe their brand positioning is strong, yet 60% of buyers perceive messaging as undifferentiated. That is not all. Buyers gravitate toward brands with credible reputations and visible employer responsibility. “Feeling safe signing a contract” ranks as the #1 decision driver for two years running, and only 26% of buyers say brands are excelling at thought leadership. B2B marketers must double down on brand trust, distinctiveness, and credible expertise to win skeptical buyers.
4. Optimise sales experience to reduce buyer inertia
Buying cycles are now 54 days longer than in 2021, averaging 379 days. Optimised experiences – especially those with strong digital onboarding, peer advocacy, and smooth contracting – can shorten cycles by up to 16 weeks. Dentsu estimates these delays cost the global economy $1.9 trillion annually.
5. Delivering personalisation and relevance at scale
B2B brands are struggling to meet buyer demands for tailored interactions and relevant messaging.Over 70% of buyers want suppliers to better understand their individual roles and challenges. Yet satisfaction with personalisation remains stagnant at around 39%. Mass personalisation remains elusive, despite the maturity of digital experience platforms and data tools.
6. The promise… and challenge of Account-Based Experience (ABX)
ABX – marked by high personalisation, targeted media, and content depth – leads to stronger commercial performance. Contracts are 2.1 times larger, NPS is higher (117% increase), and sales cycles are shorter by 27%. Yet only 5% of B2B interactions exhibit true ABX characteristics. Resource intensity, coordination challenges, and tech integration gaps hinder scalability.
Three pivots have become clear:
- Brand – invest in trust, story-rich brand building, and real thought leadership
- Experience – Design hybrid paths that emerge digital convenience with human trust and streamline interactions
- Personalisation – Use technology and data to personalise at the role and account level—especially for non-senior decision makers.