You probably know the classic branding game: logos, colours, slogans and extensive corporate identity exercises. Many companies spend months - sometimes years - building their brand. But what if that's no longer the best way to go?
There is a new trend in the marketing world, especially in tech and B2B, called Unbranding. It's not an opt-out of branding, but rather a reassessment. It's about making the brand less self-important and more human. And that can create greater value - especially for tech companies that often struggle with rigid communication and inaccessible messages.
In this article, we take a closer look at how you can use unbranding as a strategic method to strengthen your communication and reach your ideal B2B customers.
Unbranding isn't about ditching your logo or removing your visual identity. Rather, it's an approach where you take a step back from the polished exterior and instead focus on creating genuine relationships with your customers. In short: It's about prioritising content and experience over form and facade.
For years, many B2B tech companies have focused on appearing trustworthy and professional through a streamlined, corporate look. But especially to a more critical and digitally aware audience, it sometimes seems the opposite. Customers aren't necessarily looking for the most polished player - they're looking for the one they can look up to and trust.
If you work in a technical organisation, you know that it can be difficult to make complex products and solutions easy to understand. At the same time, the brand needs to come across as trustworthy and professional. Balancing technology and humanity can be challenging.
Unbranding gives you a tool to do just that. It's all about:
It's not about making your brand frivolous - quite the opposite. It's about making it more relatable and present.
Here's a simple four-step model that you can use as a strategic tool in your communication and branding efforts.
Every strong brand - and yes, even an unbranded brand - begins with a strong core value. It's not about what you sell, but why you do it.
Ask yourself and your team these questions:
Once you have your soul - your core belief - you can start communicating it. Not by writing “we believe in innovation” in capital letters, but by letting it flow out through all your communications, your website and your customer service.
Most B2B companies still focus on awareness - being seen. But today it's more about experience than about visibility. What customers remember is how it feels to interact with your brand.
Maybe you've already thought about the customer journey - but have you integrated authenticity and presence into every touchpoint?
Examples of brand experiences with an unbranding approach:
All this creates an authentic and memorable brand experience. And that's exactly what creates loyalty - not a fancy logo.
B2B is increasingly about people. No matter how technical your product is, there are real people on the other end making decisions. And people connect with other people - not with corporate slogans.
Then ask yourself: How easy is it for your customers to connect with you and your team?
Consider increasing presence with:
The goal is to become more human. Not because it's fashionable, but because it creates results and relationships.
Even in the most technical context, emotions are important.
Unbranding is also about taking control of the emotional signals your brand sends out. It can be something as trivial as the tone of your error messages - or as profound as the feeling the customer is left with after a meeting with your sales person.
Do you seem approachable or dismissive? Stable or rigid? Helpful or difficult?
Small things make a difference. So consider the following:
A technical solution with a warm and human tone almost always beats competitors with cold, distant messages.
You might be thinking: “That sounds exciting - but we sell complex solutions to conservative buyers. They expect professionalism.”
And that's true. But professionalism doesn't have to be the same as distance or corporate language. It's about maintaining professionalism, but dressing it up in trustworthy and relatable communication.
Unbranding is not strategy without structure - it's structure with flexibility and authenticity at its centre.
You don't have to do a full rebrand to get started. Start by looking at your touchpoints:
Ask yourself: Does this feel real, natural and at eye level - or like another powerpoint with too many buzzwords?
Mastering unbranding is not throwing your current brand in the bin. It's bringing it to life. And making it far more effective and long-lasting - especially for technical B2B companies.
Are you ready to be a little less corporate - and a little more human?
Do you have a project you would like to discuss with us, or would you like to hear how we can help you achieve better results?
Contact us to learn more about the possibilities.
Visit us here:
Herstedvang 8, 2620 Albertslund
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