There was real energy and dynamism at The Drum’s 2025 B2B WorldFest this month, as marketers convened to shape the future of the industry. One theme resonated across many of the panel discussions and conversations: trust is the new currency of B2B marketing.
The myth that customers follow a linear purchasing journey has long been disproved. However, the context in which businesses operate has been further complicated by increasing business caution and disruption (particularly within large buying groups), generational shifts, and the role of AI in reshaping expectations of content and how brands are discovered.
This complexity has illustrated that marketers need to earn the right to the time of busy business decision-makers. To cut through the noise, communicating with trust and authenticity is more important than ever — two elements high on attendees’ agendas.
We were delighted to speak to this need in a special Edelman panel on how B2B brands earn and sustain trust, leverage reputation, and ultimately turn brand strength into commercial advantage. I was joined on stage by Paola Garbini (Head of European Marketing, Oliver Wyman), Mike Argile (EMEA Senior Marketing Lead: Copilot & Agents, Microsoft), and Kate Stanners (International Chief Creative Officer, Edelman) for the discussion, which you can watch via The Drum here.
The theme of trust and authenticity continued throughout the day’s conversations; here are my takeaways from the action-packed event reflecting this trend:
Trust is the biggest competitive advantage for businesses
When it is challenging to reach a consensus across large buying committees, to convince the CEO and CFO to sign off on large contracts, and to grow existing customers, trust is a powerful factor in getting a company shortlisted to tender — accelerating decisions and closing deals. While it may seem intangible, trust can be quantified, benchmarked, and used as a commercial metric.
Authenticity builds connection in a sceptical age
Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain reminded marketers that “authenticity starts with noticing the small details.” In B2B, this means sharing genuine stories of people, problems, and progress without being overly polished. Long-form, honest storytelling still matters, especially as decision-makers crave depth over noise. Brands that showcase vulnerability and purpose will earn credibility, not just clicks — beautifully illustrated when Paola Garbini talked about Oliver Wyman’s ‘Behind the Breakthrough’ series, where the firm’s C-suite clients speak openly about overcoming transformation in their business and the defining moments in their professional growth.
We need to drive action as well as thinking
Thought leadership is a widely used term, but one of the best ways for business brands to build trust, authenticity, and evidence is to go beyond theory and drive tangible action through their campaigns. Mike Argile pointed to actions like Microsoft investing $30 billion in the UK AI sector to demonstrate the company's vision and ambition. DP World’s ‘Move to -15’ campaign was another example of a business convening its wider industry to bring about major reductions in energy and emissions from the shipping of frozen food.
Gen Z buyers demand transparency, not targeting
Meta’s Andrea Gellert described younger, digital-native buyers as “allergic to the sales funnel” and the notion of a sales meeting. They expect to research, decide, and engage on their own terms, using LLMs, online research, peer-led communities, and seeking views of ‘people like them.’ B2B brands must meet them where they already are and consider how much and where they share information — a key theme identified in our Gen Z Lab’s recent ‘The Great Gen Z Divide’ Report.
Communities are the new marketing channels
A panel with Trustpilot and Open Banking marketers reinforced that the most trusted voices aren’t brands, but peers. “Community is the new persona,” said Open Banking’s Mel Lazarus. Building spaces for advocates to connect, share, and influence each other delivers more credibility than any ad campaign.
Brand and demand are roommates, not rivals
Sage’s Harry Davies and EY’s John Rudaizky both challenged the outdated divide between brand and demand. Davies noted that “when we pause brand investment, our cost per sale rises — and we can prove it.” Rudaizky also emphasised that emotion is a force multiplier in B2B, which earns attention, builds credibility, and proves that creativity and commercial outcomes are inseparable.
Creativity fuels trust and differentiation
My colleague, Kate Stanners (Edelman’s International Chief Creative Officer), urged marketers to rediscover imagination, sharing an example of a construction equipment manufacturer which refitted its bulldozers to clear mines in conflict zones and used animations of its engineers to tell the story. Microsoft’s Mike Argile was inspired by Lego-creating experiences, which encourage play in business as a process of unlocking new ideas and strengthening teams.
Partnerships outperform sponsorships
Tata Consulting Services and Iron Mountain showcased how long-term sports partnerships, built on shared innovation and purpose, create sustainable brand value. Brand Finance revealed fascinating data demonstrating that a high proportion of senior business leaders identify with long-distance running — informing a marketing programme centred on marathons, which boosted brand recall, authenticity, and storytelling for a services brand.
AI is an enabler, not the storyteller
While AI can amplify reach and efficiency, as well as act as a brilliant sparring partner, real-world cultural nuances, unexpected connections, authentic imperfections, humour, and human judgment are what will enable business brands to stand out and build trust.
ABM x Brand Orchestration
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and Brand should not function as separate silos, but as unified, orchestrated tactics across the entire buyer journey. My colleague, Suraya Adnan, highlighted this as the smart strategy with all channels and tactics unified towards a single objective, driving pipeline today and in the future.
In short, if the buyer journey is disrupted, we’re overwhelmed by content. At a time when audiences are increasingly sceptical and self-selecting in how they engage, earning trust is what builds relationships, closes deals, and drives growth.
Andrew Mildren is Managing Director, Business Marketing for Edelman EMEA
