Shifting Perceptions: How Vodafone Used Thought Leadership to Strengthen Its B2B Brand

Challenge
Despite offering a full suite of business solutions—including cloud, security, IoT, and consulting—Vodafone was still perceived as a consumer-focussed mobile phone provider. Competing against tech giants like Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco, Vodafone needed to revamp its position as a strategic partner for businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to large enterprises and the public sector. The goal was to enhance brand perception, establish credibility, and drive leads.

What I Did
I developed and led the pilot and launch strategy for the ensuing award-winning B2B thought leadership programme, recognised as best-in-class by the IPA. The objectives were twofold:
Reposition Vodafone in the enterprise space – Strengthening its reputation as an innovator and thought leader beyond mobile solutions.
Drive leads and engagement – Providing valuable content to move potential customers through the purchasing funnel.

Our solution was a 360° content ecosystem, anchored by the ‘Your Better Business’ platform (later rebranded Your Ready Business), which housed expert articles, videos, infographics, top tips, and customer stories. This was complemented by:
- The Perspective Series – A collection of in-depth white papers positioning Vodafone as a thought leader.
- Multi-channel amplification – Content was strategically deployed across Vodafone’s main website, social media (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), and integrated into paid and organic campaigns.
- Sales enablement – The Vodafone sales team used the content as lead magnets and discussion tools, ensuring a direct link between thought leadership and commercial impact.

I played a key role in content planning and editorial oversight, briefing journalists, experts, and creatives to produce 6-8 content pieces and 1-2 infographics per month, while also leading the naming and content strategy for The Perspective Series.

The Results
- Brand Perception Shift – Vodafone’s reputation as a thought leader grew by 5% across all business and public sector segments in FY 2013/14.
- Sales Impact – Within two years, the programme generated 47 sales opportunities worth £37.8M, with £2.4M in closed business directly attributed to this pipeline.
- Consultant Success – The Perspective Series helped Vodafone’s consulting teams double their expected sales, generating £14.25M in incremental revenue.

Engagement & Reach (after 6 month pilot) –
16,000+ website visits
27,720 unique page views
8,851 Twitter followers
10,391 YouTube views

By creating a compelling, insight-driven content ecosystem, Vodafone successfully shifted its perception from a mobile provider to a trusted business partner—enhancing brand authority, driving engagement, and delivering measurable commercial results.