The longest Wimbledon rally on record is 45 strokes, during a match between Djokovic and Bautista Agut in 2019. But that count feels modest compared to the rally of product claim tennis that frequently takes hold in B2B marketing.

As claims like ‘fast’ are served over the net, competitors return with a forehand of ‘rapid’ . ‘Broad range’ is met with a volley of ‘wide scope’. ‘Transformation’ responds to a drop shot of ‘evolution’. And you’d better be sitting comfortably because these product rallies can go on for years. 

Of course, it’s understandable that businesses are proud of, and want to talk about, what they do. Products are often complex so it’s vital that customers understand capabilities and associated merits. The problem is, there’s rarely much difference between what one business does and competitors.

We’re not saying ditch product claims. But what we are saying is this; if you want your brand to be noticed and be top of mind, you have to do something different. On the grass court of B2B marketing, creativity is a stroke that every single business can play to gain an edge. It means that anything you do say about a product becomes distinctive and memorable. 

Djokovic went on to win the point with a backhand which is a stroke that has seen its fair share of convention smashing. 

At the age of 17, Chris Evert was one of the first players to use a two-handed backhand. She went against the grain and it made her a formidable opponent. Using creativity to go against the grain is a powerful tool to get brands noticed and remembered. Particularly given 95% of the time our audiences aren’t actually in market and won’t buy for months. 

As we watch impressive rallies over the next fortnight, look out for the two-handed backhand and applaud the creativity that competitors use to win points. There’s inspiration there for us all.