B2B ads are rarely truly funny. Maybe a polite chuckle before scrolling on, sure, but an actual laugh? 

But now it seems that B2B companies are finally realizing what B2C has known for decades: It’s a rare thing when an ad truly grabs your attention, and rarer still when you go out of your way to watch it. 

This month, senior marketer (and one of my favorite writers) Cyan Zhong breaks down a brilliant/unhinged ad from Air…

|   Brands to Watch

When a feature announcement looks like an R-rated SNL sketch… 

I didn’t expect to hear “I love your small penis” as the first line in a B2B SaaS ad, but the weirdos at Air make it a habit to defy expectations. Hell, that unhinged creative energy snatched them a Webby this year — their first ever commercial featuring The Rizzler. 

While that one’s more of a brand virality play, today's video is a tongue-in-cheek feature release that stops your scroll.

It’s set in a therapist’s office, with a couple desperately trying to reconcile their differences. It draws you in fast and gets to the point even faster. The wife nominates the husband’s chaotic folder-naming convention as a big wedge in their relationship. It perfectly balances a relatable issue and a seamless product tie-in. By the end of the video, using Air’s new AI feature to organize your creative assets feels like the natural conclusion, not just a transactional add-on. 

A therapy session isn’t the most original concept, but it always delivers. As a storytelling framework, it opens up opportunities for Problem - Solution - Conversation, which mirrors the typical B2B buying process. 

What are we doing when we’re selling a product to potential customers?

• Having an honest conversation to discover their problem.
• Convincing them that you have the best solution to their problem.

In this setting, everyone’s vulnerable, open, and looking to change and grow — aka buyers who are ready to take action. Clever. Well executed. Chef’s kiss. 

I know some folks over at Air, so I’ve been impressed by their outside-the-box marketing for a while. They recently went through a rebrand that’ll have you inhaling/exhaling right when you enter the website. Breathe of fresh air indeed.