How B2B financial services marketing is evolving in 2025

Hannah Robinson, Director of Marketing at Kingsbridge, explores how marketers are adopting new techniques to reach business customers.

The financial services sector is undergoing a profound transformation in how it engages with business customers.

As the landscape evolves, the most successful marketing strategies of 2024 have shifted away from transactional messaging, embracing creativity, emotional connection, and customer-centricity. Businesses – whether sole traders, SMEs, or large corporations – (rightly) expect brands to understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations, and the financial services sector is beginning to meet those expectations.

This article explores key trends shaping the future of financial services marketing, using standout campaigns from major players in the industry to illustrate how these shifts are playing out.

Emotional storytelling and human connection

In 2024, financial services brands increasingly recognised that businesses are run by people, and that people respond to stories that resonate on a personal level. Hiscox’s ‘Disastrous’ campaign is a striking example of this approach. By bringing the risks of running a business to life through immersive, tactile outdoor advertising, such as burst water pipes and damaged vehicles, Hiscox demonstrated a keen understanding of the emotional weight of business ownership. The use of physical, real-world elements helped to transform abstract concerns – i.e. the need for insurance –  into tangible, relatable issues.

Similarly, Direct Line for Business’s ‘Protecting What Matters Most’ campaign emphasised the emotional stakes of business ownership, positioning the insurer as a brand that understands its customers’ fears and ambitions. By framing the product as essential to safeguarding what truly matters, be it a business, family, or future, Direct Line created an emotional narrative that resonated deeply with entrepreneurs.

Emotive imagery and storytelling are particularly effective in sectors like financial services, where decisions often involve high stakes and complexity. Insurance, banking, and investment services are inherently tied to the security and wellbeing of customers, so emotional resonance is critical for brand differentiation. Research consistently shows that emotional connections to brands lead to stronger customer loyalty, higher retention rates, and increased advocacy. In fact, a 2016 study by the Harvard Business Review revealed that emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as highly satisfied customers, showcasing the power of emotional loyalty in driving long-term business success.

Bold creativity and innovation in advertising

To stand out in an increasingly crowded market, financial services brands must be bold in their creative choices. Hiscox’s innovative use of out-of-home (OOH) activations, AXA’s national TV campaign simplifying business protection, and Zurich’s approachable approach to insurance through user-friendly content are excellent examples of this trend.

AXA’s national TV campaign, which used a clear and compelling visual approach to communicate complex business protection products, set itself apart by employing strong imagery and simplified messaging that made a traditionally complicated topic more accessible. By cutting through the noise with creative visual storytelling, AXA’s campaign was both engaging and informative, ensuring that viewers walked away with a better understanding of their business protection options.

In a similar vein, Zurich’s ‘Zurich for SMEs’ campaign demonstrated boldness in both its message and its delivery. By tailoring insurance products specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, Zurich was able to position itself as a flexible, reliable partner. The brand’s messaging took an empathetic, customer-first approach, understanding the unique challenges faced by SMEs and crafting bespoke solutions to meet those needs.

The effectiveness of such bold creative decisions lies in their ability to break away from the norm, engaging audiences in memorable ways. As marketing continues to evolve, businesses in all sectors – financial services included – are leaning into innovative creative formats, building campaigns that stand out in saturated markets and engage consumers in unexpected ways.

Customer-centricity and tailored solutions

Today’s financial services marketing is increasingly about understanding and addressing the distinct needs of various customer segments. Major players like Legal & General and Simply Business have both adopted this approach, tailoring their messaging to appeal to specific customer groups. Legal & General’s ‘Business Insurance Simplified’ campaign, for example, took the complexity out of business insurance, ensuring clarity and transparency in a sector often criticised for its jargon and fine print. This focus on simplifying complicated processes is not only customer-friendly but also helps to build trust – something that is essential in financial services.

Similarly, Simply Business’s campaign, focused on small businesses, showcased how tailored solutions can drive engagement. By emphasising the value of bespoke, flexible coverage, Simply Business reassured SMEs that their specific needs were at the forefront of the insurer’s approach.

The importance of this tailored approach cannot be overstated. By taking the time to understand the specific pain points of their customers, brands can position themselves as trusted partners who offer not only products but personalised solutions – as demonstrated by research by McKinsey which showed that companies with customer-centric marketing strategies outperform their competitors by 60% in terms of customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Multi-channel integration: reaching customers across platforms

The most successful campaigns of 2024 recognise the power of multi-channel engagement. Nationwide’s ‘For Business. For Life.’ campaign is a prime example of how brands can leverage multiple platforms to ensure a consistent message is delivered at every stage of the customer journey. Nationwide’s TV, digital, and out-of-home executions worked in harmony to reinforce the brand’s message, making sure it was visible and compelling to its target audience at all times.

In a similar vein, campaigns like Simply Business’s TV-led initiative demonstrate the power of cross-channel amplification. By integrating TV with digital and social media strategies, Simply Business ensured that their message reached customers at every touchpoint, creating a seamless, omnichannel experience.

Multi-channel integration works by ensuring that customers are exposed to a brand’s message in various contexts, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion. When a campaign spans multiple platforms, whether through paid search, social media, podcasts, or print, it builds visibility, nurtures trust, and ensures that potential customers encounter the brand at the right time and place in their decision-making process.

The importance of building trust and brand legacy

Trust is fundamental in financial services marketing, where decisions can have far-reaching consequences. Brands like Nationwide and AXA have long been seen as reliable, dependable insurers, and their marketing campaigns effectively reinforce this perception. By focusing on long-standing expertise and a commitment to customer service, these companies position themselves as the safe choice for businesses looking for stability and security.

The emphasis on trust is not just about reassurance – it’s about cultivating a sense of brand legacy. Brands that have built a reputation over time can leverage this history to reinforce their messaging and connect with customers on a deeper level. When customers feel they are part of a long-standing tradition of excellence, they are more likely to remain loyal and recommend the brand to others.

Studies consistently highlight that trust is one of the most critical factors in building customer loyalty. According to a study by Edelman, 81% of consumers stated that trust in a brand was a deciding factor in their purchasing decisions. This finding underscores the importance of consistency, transparency, and reliability in creating lasting emotional connections with customers.

The future of financial services marketing

As the financial services industry continues to evolve, the brands that succeed will be those that prioritise emotional connection, creativity, customer-centricity, multi-channel engagement, and trust. Campaigns from Hiscox, AXA, Zurich, Nationwide, Simply Business, and Legal & General showcase how these trends are shaping the future of financial services marketing.

By tapping into emotional storytelling, creating bold and innovative campaigns, and delivering personalised solutions, brands are not only engaging their customers in the short term but also building lasting loyalty that will drive long-term success. The key to thriving in a competitive marketplace lies in understanding the needs of the customer and delivering the right message at the right time, creating a foundation for brand advocacy and customer loyalty for years to come.