What’s the difference between B2B and B2C content? I’m not going to tell you. I’m going to show you.
Let’s go and wash our clothes.
Here’s how B2C P&G gets its clean laundry message across:
NEW! Tide Ultra Stain Release is supercharged with specially formulated ingredients to help remove 99% of everyday stains, including greasy food stains. It also boasts the innovative “Zap! Cap,” a unique pretreat cap with scrubbing bristles to provide a deep-down, pre-treat option. The cap features two textures; bristles for deep down scrubbing and a flatter portion to spread the detergent around. Put Zap! Cap to work for you with Tide Ultra Stain Release – even the cap fights stains.
Here’s how B2B Sunburst Chemicals gets its clean laundry message across:
COMPASS is a revolutionary one-shot system that most often requires NO additional chemicals in the washing process. It is 100-percent biodegradable and is made from a 100-percent “green” formulation. It has no phosphates, caustics, nonylphenol ethoxylates, toxic polymers, solvents, dyes, or perfumes. It cleans by breaking apart soils and other tough stains which can then be easily washed away. It packs a powerful cleaning punch, and allows users to save, save, save!
My takeaways:
- The emotional:rational (or benefit:feature or me:you) ratios for the two are mirror images. (Although, in fact, Tide is more product oriented than I expected.) Tide is almost exclusively emotional/benefit/you and Sunburst exactly the opposite.
- The need for Truth with Tide is low. Do you believe that they remove 99% of everyday stains? Do you care? On the other hand, if COMPASS isn’t 100% biodegradable, Sunburst is going to face some legal issues.
- The need for detail is zero for Tide. In fact, the only technical language in there is “specially formulated ingredients.” The need for detail is unending with COMPASS.
- Tide tells you what its product features do for your clothes. COMPASS tells you how its product works.
- If you don’t understand the first thing about laundry detergent, you’re going to do just fine with Tide content. Sunburst is over your head mid-way through, unless you understand the chemistries of clean.
- Tide is high energy. “Supercharged,” “Ultra,” “boasts,” “innovative”—infused with active, powerful language. Sunburst: not so much.
I’m not at all suggesting that either of these is a model of great content—there’s much to criticize in both of them. I just wanted to crack them apart a little to share a contrast that accurately reflects the difference between content for B2C and B2B.
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