In this episode of The Insurindex Podcast, host Ben Bolton is joined by Jon Lombardo, former Head of LinkedIn’s B2B Institute and the co-founder of Evidenza for a fascinating, and often very witty, deep dive into Jon’s fascinating journey from Hartford, Connecticut, the ‘home of Insurance’, to his current work in synthetic research at Evidenza. A wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion about marketing in B2B insurance, encompassing topics from the 95-5 rule to distinctive assets and synthetic research.
Lombardo draws on years of work in B2B marketing, advertising theory, and brand science to explore how principles like mental and physical availability, distinctive brand assets and broad-reach campaigns are just as powerful, and necessary, in B2B insurance as they are in B2C markets. Together, Bolton and Lombardo delve into why fame is undervalued in B2B, how brand supports talent, sales and margin, and why legacy thinking around “rational” messaging still holds many insurers back.
Drawing on years of global research from the B2B Institute at LinkedIn, the 95-5 rule, category entry points and mental availability, Lombardo explains how the best-performing B2B brands are often built with consistency, creativity and scale, in a similar manner to the best B2C ones. The discussion tackles the persistent myth that insurance is “too specialist” for brand-led marketing — and shows why that assumption needs to be challenged
The discussion goes beyond theory, with Lombardo sharing how AI and synthetic audiences are already reshaping market research, segmentation and campaign strategy, and how this new capability will unlock insights at scale in niche and complex classes like cyber and reinsurance. For insurers dealing with fragmented portfolios and hard-to-reach decision makers, the implications are infinite.
From Warren Buffett to bowler hats, pink dinosaurs to synthetic vanilla, this is an energetic and practical conversation that links big marketing theory with the everyday challenges of insurance growth, reputation and relevance.
Another great Insurindex podcast, this is essential listening for marketers, strategists and other ‘C’-Suite members looking to understand, reach and influence the B2B Insurance market, in a manner supported with evidence.
