As The Drum officially kicks off B2B Month, London’s B2B World Fest proves business marketing has never been bolder.
B2B World Fest returned to London on November 4, bringing together the industry’s sharpest minds to explore how creativity, technology and trust are reshaping business marketing.
The event, hosted by The Drum at The Drum Labs, marks the official launch of B2B Month – a new, global initiative celebrating the best in business-to-business creativity, campaigns and community.
Cameron Clarke, The Drum’s global editor, told delegates that this November has been named B2B Month by The Drum.
“This is our big kick-off,” he said. “We’re lighting a bit of rocket fuel under everything we do in B2B – from coverage to awards to events around the world.”
Across a packed day of panels and keynotes, speakers including Meta’s Andrea Gellert, Edelman’s Kate Stanners, Mishal Husain, Iron Mountain’s Karen Feldman, TCS’s Priyanka Mehra, EY’s John Rudaizky and Sage’s Harry Davies shared hard-won lessons on the forces shaping the next era of business marketing.
Here are 10 things every marketer should take away – and where to dive deeper into The Drum’s coverage.
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The launch of B2B Month marks The Drum’s biggest commitment yet to the sector, with a new B2B Hub, daily content and the news that B2B World Fest will expand into a major global event in Miami from next year.
Clark’s message: B2B deserves the same ambition, flair and cultural relevance as B2C.
The Drum launches B2B Month and unveils plans for its first Miami Festival
Meta’s Andrea Gellert revealed that digital-native buyers want autonomy, transparency and authenticity, not cold outreach.
“They expect to find everything online – and they expect it fast,” she said. “Meet them where they already are: in communities, not in calls.”
How should B2B brands talk to Gen Z buyers?
UM’s Dan Chapman urged brands to see AI as a reach multiplier, not a relationship builder.
“AI will get you seen,” he said, “but the last mile is still human.”
Gen Z is changing B2B buying and here’s how to reach them.
Jen Faull’s panel with Mel Lazarus (Open Banking), Alicia Skubick (Trustpilot) and Chris Adams (Hey Honey) revealed how trust now flows peer-to-peer.
“Community is the new persona,” said Lazarus. The smartest B2B brands build spaces where advocates talk to each other – not just to the brand.
Community is the new persona; here’s what B2B marketers need to know.
Edelman’s Andrew Mildren called trust “the hidden currency of big deals.”
From Microsoft’s Mike Argile on upskilling staff to Kate Stanners on bringing imagination to credibility, the verdict was clear: trust drives the balance sheet.
Trust is B2B’s strongest currency. Here’s why it matters.
Sage’s Harry Davies declared the brand-versus-performance debate “nonsense.”
“When we pause brand investment, our cost per sale rises – and we can prove it,” he said.
EY’s John Rudaizky added: “Emotion is the force multiplier.”
Why the B2B brand versus demand debate misses the point.
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From F1 garages to marathon finish lines, Iron Mountain’s Karen Feldman and TCS’s Priyanka Mehra showed how sponsorships have evolved into storytelling platforms.
Tech, purpose and performance now share the same podium.
Why top B2B brands are choosing sports partnerships over sponsorships.
Forget splashy one-season tie-ins.
At TCS, marathon partnerships that began as staff wellbeing projects now act as global innovation testbeds.
At Iron Mountain, its multi-year alliance with McLaren F1 uses AI to surface unseen heritage moments.
The takeaway: partnerships compound credibility when they create mutual value over time.
TCS and Iron Mountain explain why partnerships beat sponsorships.
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Broadcaster Mishal Husain urged marketers to rediscover the why behind their work.
“Sometimes you’ve lived in the house so long you stop noticing what’s special about it,” she said.
In a world of scrolls and soundbites, detail and honesty build trust faster than any algorithm.
Mishal Husain on brand stories and her viral Elon moment.
After years of hiding behind data decks and funnel charts, B2B marketers are putting creativity back on the balance sheet.
As Edelman’s Kate Stanners argued, “trust doesn’t have to be boring.” Imagination can unlock differentiation even in technical categories.
From Iron Mountain’s use of AI storytelling in Formula 1 to EY’s emotional brand films, the evidence is mounting that creative bravery drives better commercial outcomes than incremental optimisation.
The smartest B2B leaders are no longer asking “Why be creative?” They’re asking, “How fast can we scale it?”
TCS and Iron Mountain share why they choose partnerships over sponsorships.