Latest campaigns and real thought leadership examples: Autumn 2023

Discover the latest trends in thought leadership and B2B with our quarterly compilation of recent campaign showcases.

These campaigns span a diverse set of companies and industries, aiming to redefine brand identities and establish thought leadership credentials. Each campaign demonstrates how to utilise research and insight-led content effectively as a way to explore relevant topics, engage audiences and shape their respective brand narratives.

For those eager to revisit the campaigns of the previous quarter, simply click here.

If you’d like more information on any of the campaigns featured, please get in touch — we’d be delighted to tell you more about them and help find ways you too can innovate with your next campaign.

Global Wellbeing Index
Santander

BRAND POSITIONING

To prove itself as more than just a bank and elevate its vision and values across its customer base, Santander wanted to explore what prosperity and well-being mean to people around the globe. The goal was to position Santander as a leading commentator on how financial pressures can affect wellbeing, using insights from the study as well as the expertise from inside the business.

Together we crafted a survey of 17,000 consumers to create an index that measures well-being and prosperity in terms of quality of life; people and community; and education and employment. The findings revealed that while the cost-of-living crisis has impacted well-being, people are still optimistic about the future.

ACTIVATION: This multimedia campaign demonstrates how to utilise a variety of formats effectively, pivoting around a central destination for the insights on santander.com. The content includes a campaign landing page with a detailed summary of the findings, video insight, audio interviews with key leaders, as well as data highlights for quick consumption and the long-form report for a more detailed read.

Closing the energy storage gap
DNV

BRAND POSITIONING

The energy market is changing at scale with unprecedented speed. To remain relevant, DNV has had to radically transform its business from a niche technical advisor to the oil and gas industry, to an independent expert in assurance and risk operating across industries and specialisms. The firm has used its thought leadership programme to spearhead this change, bringing broader focus to areas such as the energy transition, cyber security, and in the case of this campaign, energy storage.

‘Closing the energy storage gap’ is part of a series of insights into the energy industry, looking at how energy storage systems are becoming increasingly important components of the emerging, decarbonized future energy systems. Surveying over 400 senior executives, the report reveals the extent and direction of current trends, with most agreeing that the need to rapidly increase energy storage capacity is being hampered by a few major barriers, as the industry progresses towards a cleaner future.

ACTIVATION: The insights are presented in a traditional PDF report, utilising a modern mix of data visualisation and expert editorial storytelling. The report is part of a series of energy industry insights that builds the backbone of DNV’s thought leadership portfolio strategy.

US Board Index 2023
Spencer Stuart

BRAND AWARENESS

The Spencer Stuart Board Index is the definitive guide to the shifting composition of S&P 500 company boards. Its primary objective is to use this long-running study as a key pillar in Spencer Stuart’s ongoing brand awareness campaign and programme of insight.

Now in its 38th year, the report continues to provide a waypoint for commentary on board composition, governance practices and director compensation in the US, providing its partners with the ammunition they need to talk authoritatively to their biggest clients and prospects.

Boardroom turnover is consistently low, so what does that mean for the future of these boards? What do mandatory retirement ages do for diversity? These are questions highlighted in the data, and addressed in Spencer Stuart’s key recommendations.

ACTIVATION: Bolstered by an in-depth report, industry and topic highlights, the S&P 500 New Director and Diversity Snapshot and related articles, this campaign continues to be a trusted industry resource, earning significant media and PR interest year on year.

Infrastructure Transition Monitor
Siemens

BRAND AWARENESS

Decarbonisation, smart technology and changing mobility needs create the need for radical transformation in infrastructure. Despite its status as a leader in the field, Siemens wanted to speak out with authority on the future of the industry, using thought leadership as the medium.

The aim was to produce a repeatable study that shows how far countries have come in transforming their infrastructure, and how that change could be accelerated with the help of digital technology. The study is intended to position Siemens as the number one thought leader in its space, creating awareness of the opportunities offered by innovative technologies to address the major infrastructural challenges of today.

To do this, FT Longitude and Siemens polled 1,400 senior executives from a range of industries around the world. The result is a comprehensive view on the progress of the infrastructure transition and the challenges of this huge undertaking.

ACTIVATION: The campaign content is split into three spheres of insight, comprising the regional, city and industry perspectives in the survey findings. The research is supplemented by interactive data visualisation, allowing the audience to filter and sort the data by area of interest.

AI IQ: Insights on Artificial Intelligence in the Enterprise
Workday

BRAND POSITIONING

AI and machine learning (ML) has been one of the hottest topics of discussion in 2023. But how does it affect the workplace? The goal for this campaign was to position Workday as the leader on AI in business, ignite the conversation with C-suite leaders and clients, and achieve both brand awareness and commercial engagement KPIs.

The report discusses why the adoption of AI isn’t straightforward and why, despite this, it’s essential to unlock the future of work, remain competitive and radically transform work across industries. It was this deep, specialist insight that enabled Workday to prove its expertise and cement its credibility on its chosen topic.

ACTIVATION: The campaign is hosted on a landing page highlighting the key takeaways from the research. From there, the audience is encouraged to download the report, view the infographic, or listen to the special episode of the Workday Podcast hosted by FT Longitude’s Meg Wright.

Bad Decisions: Why Companies Miss the Most Important Factor in Executive Hiring
Kingsley Gate

BRAND AWARENESS

As one of the smaller players in the executive search industry, but with ambitions to gain ground on its larger competitors, Kingsley Gate needed a campaign that would help raise awareness and promote its unique, data-led approach to executive search and recruitment.

Decision making was identified as a key differentiator in the executive recruitment and an under-reported area for thought leadership; presenting Kingsley Gate with a compelling new topic of insight and the opportunity to gain a valuable share of voice over the competition.

The study took advantage of this skills gap, with the findings highlighting decision making as the missing piece in hiring strategy for leadership positions.

ACTIVATION: The research, paired with activation through the Financial Times partner content channels, ensured fresh findings and insights that allowed the firm to garner significant media and PR interest including several interviews with TV and radio.

The Balancing Act: Unlocking Innovation in Manufacturing
Protolabs

COMMERCIAL SUCCESS

Protolabs’ thought leadership objectives are twofold: to brand awareness through media engagement; and to create new business opportunities in aerospace, automotive, and the energy sector. Its latest campaign was designed to position Protolabs as a leader on innovation and a strategic partner in business, combatting its legacy reputation as solely a manufacturing company.

A survey of 450 executives in its three target markets helped gather insight into how these key industries are embracing innovation. This enabled Protolabs to identify and highlight current obstacles and present a path that helps to avoid future challenges. This data and the ideas the report puts forward helped to position Protolabs as a business leader with an eye on the future; a proven way to help develop and grow long-term partnerships.

ACTIVATION: The campaign centres around a traditional PDF report, designed to present key findings through data and extensive commentary, combined with practical takeaways that ensure the content is actionable and value-adding for its customers and prospects.

A lesson from life: Is buy-out the only option for DB pension schemes?
M&G Investments

BRAND POSITIONING

M&G Investments has deep expertise across a range of pension strategies, but until now had been best known for its fund management expertise. To help build awareness of its market-leading capabilities in defined benefit (DB) pensions and DB pension strategy specifically, M&G sought a thought leadership campaign that would make its audience think differently about the brand.

The report, above all, promotes the value of patience in the midst of the growing trend (and dangers) of transferring more risky elements of DB pension schemes to overstretched life insurers. Leaning on insight from interviews with senior executives and financial advisors, coupled with advice from M&G’s own leadership team, the research and analysis provides fresh thinking and clear direction on this most challenging topic.

ACTIVATION: The long-scroll format of the report – also provided as a PDF download – applies an editorial-first approach to presenting the findings. Commentary is combined with featured SME interview quotes and key stats, together with thought-provoking questions, guidance and practical advice.