Innovative Manufacturer Examples of Visual Content that Delivers

Remember when attention spans were the biggest challenge to overcome in brand marketing? Recent changes in online user behavior and search algorithms have further complicated the challenge—and amplified pressures to keep users focused and engaged with your campaigns.

Attention spans, by the way, have only continued to shrink. In 2003, users focused on screens for an average of 2.5 minutes before switching tasks. Twenty years later, the average attention span on screens had plummeted to a mere 47 seconds. And what little attention we have left is increasingly bombarded by distractions.

Ask yourself: How many times a day do you check your email? Phone? Slack? LinkedIn? 

For industrial marketers, the technical complexities of both your customer challenges and your solutions can make it even harder to engage buyers. That’s where the strength of a brand’s visual identity can significantly influence its market presence and customer engagement.

In this post, we spotlight five industrial brands demonstrating visual mastery and just plain good manufacturer branding, and why their choices work so well for their audiences and applications.

But first, a little science.

Processing & Comprehension of Text Vs. Images

Conventional wisdom’s claims, like “visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text,” are hyperbolic and not based in science. Yet there’s proof that visuals have power.

A 2022 report on meta analyses found that humans typically process images 8 to 577 times faster than text, and that illustrations add a 36% boost to text comprehension.

Thoughtfully designed and applied visuals can boost engagement, retention, comprehension, and even emotional response. But to be effective, visuals need to align strategically with brand messaging, audience needs, and marketing goals. Here are a few ways this relates to industrials in particular:

1. Relevance — Custom photography and imagery that showcase your offerings in contexts your audience cares about can have a much greater impact than generic stock photography.
2. Simplicity — Complex technical concepts or data can be easier to digest using diagrams, data visualization, infographics, or animated explainer videos.
3. Emotional connection — Decision-makers are human, and imagery can be a powerful way to evoke emotions around customer challenges (negative) and successful solutions (positive).
4. Storytelling — Visuals can help tell compelling stories about your brand, your company culture, offerings’ impacts, and customer outcomes by making them more relatable and memorable.
5. Interactivity — Three-dimensional product views, hover effects, and other interactive elements can create an immersive experience that keeps users engaged.

Factors like image quality and visual consistency signal attention to detail and help build brand recognition and trust, which are especially important in B2B customer relationships, where purchase decisions often involve multiple stakeholders and longer sales cycles.

Here are a few brands using visual impact to the benefit of their brands and marketing campaigns:

Honeywell: Mastering Relevance and Storytelling

Honeywell’s “The Future Is What We Make It” campaign exemplifies the power of relevance and storytelling in visual branding.

Key Takeaways:

• Custom imagery and dynamic video content showcase Honeywell’s solutions in real-world contexts, making complex technologies relatable to its target audience and demonstrating impact on various industries to improve efficiency, reduce carbon footprints, and promote sustainable business practices on a global scale
• Interactive elements on its sustainability webpage, including infographics, charts, and tools to communicate sustainability goals and achievements
• A detailed breakdown of sustainability pillars (carbon neutrality, safety and productivity, social responsibility, and innovation) establishes a clear and visually compelling narrative of a comprehensive approach to sustainability

Why It Works: By presenting their technologies in relevant, real-world scenarios, Honeywell captures attention quickly and maintains engagement through storytelling and high-impact visuals.

Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab: Simplifying the Complex

Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab demonstrates excellence in simplifying complex concepts in artificial intelligence through visual communication.

Key Takeaways:

• Infographics and data visualizations transform complex AI-related concepts into easily digestible information and showcase the positive impacts of AI on societal challenges using high-quality images, infographics, and video content
• The page is designed to be interactive, with clear sections dedicated to research areas with in-depth project descriptions
• Human-centered design, a central focus, is reflected in an approach that highlights real-world applications and tangible benefits
• Success stories and impact metrics provide concrete evidence of AI projects’ effectiveness to build credibility and invite audiences to engage 

Why It Works: By breaking down complex AI concepts into simple, visually appealing elements, Microsoft keeps its audience engaged despite the technical nature of the content.

Caterpillar: Emotional Connection Through Authenticity

Caterpillar’s “Most Wanted” and “Scheduled Downtime” campaigns showcase the power of authenticity to connect emotionally and demonstrate a deep understanding of target audiences’ needs. From high-resolution action shots to detailed maintenance guides and videos, Caterpillar uses a variety of visual formats to engage and communicate with audiences. User-generated content and customer stories add a sense of community, credibility, and relatability to the visual narrative, and consistent visual themes reinforce brand recognition and trust.

Key Takeaways:

• “Most Wanted” features relatable images and stories showcasing equipment’s power and reliability, while “Scheduled Downtime” creates a narrative around the importance of maintenance and repair services
• Real-life scenarios and customer testimonials convey the value of proper care and maintenance for long-term productivity and equipment longevity
• Both campaigns incorporate interactive elements that invite users to explore Caterpillar’s offerings, including tools and resources to manage maintenance schedules — making the content practical and actionable

Why It Works: By tapping into the pride and challenges of their audience’s work, Caterpillar creates an emotional connection that captures attention and fosters brand loyalty over the long term.

Markforged: Interactivity and Product Visualization

Markforged’s website design demonstrates strong use of interactivity, high-quality images, and high-impact design in B2B marketing.

Key Takeaways:

• 3D product renderings and interactive demos allow potential customers to explore products in detail, enhancing engagement
• Sleek, consistent visual design reinforces a brand image of cutting-edge technology, while clear, visually-driven navigation helps users quickly find relevant information
• In-depth content offerings make it easier for prospects to bring informational deep-dives to stakeholders considering the potential impacts of additive manufacturing in their processes

Why It Works: By providing an immersive, interactive experience, Markforged keeps visitors engaged and communicates complex product information effectively.

John Deere: Storytelling Through Heritage and Innovation

John Deere’s “Run Together” campaign’s visual branding strategy brilliantly combines the authenticity of customer-led storytelling to deliver relevance to diverse audiences. Customer stories resonate on an emotional level, targeting the unique relationships between people, landscapes, and lifestyles.

Key Takeaways:

• Imagery blends heritage with innovation, connecting John Deere’s long history to modern agricultural challenges
• Visual content featuring real customers and real-world applications enhances relevance and emotional connection
• Consistent use of John Deere’s iconic color palette across platforms reinforces brand recognition

Why It Works: By visually tying its heritage to current innovations, John Deere creates a compelling narrative that resonates with its audience’s values and needs, capturing and holding attention in a crowded digital landscape.

Know Your Audience: The Psychology of Effective Visual Branding

Understanding your audience is crucial for creating visuals that resonate and drive action, especially as many brands have seen drops in website traffic, and B2B buyers increasingly remain anonymous until more advanced stages of the buyer’s journey. Effective visual branding and design needs to adapt to this shift by delivering content effectively and appropriately across multiple channels. Here’s why and how:

1. Identity alignment: When visuals align with how your audience sees themselves (or aspires to be), it creates a powerful connection. This is especially clear in the John Deere and Caterpillar examples. Extending this alignment across social media, email campaigns, and video content ensures consistent identity as content reaches prospective customers wherever they are online.
2. Problem-solution visualization: B2B buyers are looking for solutions. Visuals that clearly demonstrate how your product solves their specific problems can significantly shorten the sales cycle. Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab makes it easier to quickly see and understand the relevance of complex solutions.
3. Trust through transparency: In the industrial space, trust is paramount. Visuals that offer “behind the scenes” views and detailed product demonstrations can build credibility and reduce perceived risk. Honeywell’s sustainability campaign showcases a commitment to transparency through high-quality content and interactive elements that show how its solutions support widely varying sustainability goals.
4. Cognitive ease: Well-designed visuals make complex information easier to understand, reducing cognitive load throughout the buyer journey. This ease of understanding can translate directly into an increased likelihood of purchase. Markforged’s sleek design, high-quality images, and 3D renderings exemplify how complex technology can be presented in an accessible way.

Actionable Strategies for B2B Manufacturers

When visual content is carefully aligned with your target audience’s identity, specific challenges, and need for transparency and trust, it’s likely just what they’re looking for — even if they’re not looking at your website just yet. So, whether you’re distributing content via social media, email campaigns, paid ads, or other channels, your diversified strategy can effectively strengthen your brand and connect with prospective buyers.

Ready to elevate your visual branding strategy? Here are a few steps to get started:

1. Audience research: Go beyond demographics. Understand the visual language that resonates with your audience. What images, colors, and styles align with their self-perception and aspirations? Which content formats do they prefer?
2. Invest in quality: In B2B, where purchases are often high-stakes, low-quality images and stock photography can be perceived as a negative reflection of product quality or lack of transparency. Original imagery and visual design differentiate and build trust.
3. Tell visual stories: It’s not enough to simply show products. Instead, show their impact. Before-and-after visuals, customer success stories, and impact metrics presented visually can all help drive home product or service impact.
4. Optimize for memorability: Use distinctive visual elements consistently across all touchpoints. This could be a unique color palette, illustration style, or photographic approach.
5. Test and iterate: A/B testing on visual content can be helpful to understand what resonates best with an audience. Refine your visual strategy based on these insights.

Industrial B2B Marketing Visuals Need to Pack a Powerful Punch

In a digital marketing landscape where attention remains the scarcest resource, high-impact visual branding is no longer optional for B2B manufacturers. By understanding the science behind visual processing, tapping into the psychological drivers of your audience, and taking cues from industry leaders, you can create a visual brand identity that not only captures attention but also drives meaningful engagement and conversions.

The most successful B2B brands of the future will translate complex value propositions into visually compelling narratives that resonate deeply with their audiences’ needs, aspirations, and identities. In doing so, they'll not only weather the challenges of declining web traffic and shortened attention spans but thrive by creating memorable, impactful brand experiences that drive business growth.

To gain a deeper understanding of the trends shaping the industrial marketing landscape, download our State of Industrial Sales & Marketing Report. This comprehensive report offers insights into current industry challenges, trends, and opportunities, providing information you can use to refine your strategies and stay ahead of the curve. Benchmark your efforts against industry peers and discover new strategies for growth. Click below to download your copy today.