How a Pair of Jimmy Choos Helped Us Stand Out in a Sea of Cupcakes

What I learned about attention, differentiation, and daring to do something different in B2B marketing

When I was leading marketing for a B2B SaaS company in the HR tech space, we were preparing for the biggest industry event of the year in the UK. You know the type - endless exhibition stands, a blur of branded stress balls and lanyards, and more cupcakes and champagne than you could shake a stick at.

And don’t get me wrong - cupcakes and champagne work. Especially at this event, where most of the attendees were women. But we didn’t just want traffic to our stand. We wanted qualified leads. We wanted people who were actually interested in seeing our product in action.

And, honestly, we wanted to be remembered.

So we asked ourselves: What would make someone stop in their tracks? What would make them tell someone else about us? What would create just enough buzz to cut through the noise?

Enter: the sparkliest, most fabulous pair of gold Jimmy Choo heels we could find.

We placed them on a plinth - yes, a literal plinth - on our stand. Think museum display meets fashion fantasy. Alongside them, a simple sign: “Win these Jimmy Choos. Take a demo to enter.” For anyone not into heels, we also had an elegant watch as an alternative.

That was it. No hard sell. No gimmicky games. Just a bold visual and a clear invitation: come see what we do, and you might walk away with a killer pair of shoes.

It worked.

We generated the highest volume of leads we’d ever had at that event. The stand was constantly buzzing. Sales were flat-out running demos. And the best moment? I was in the bathroom (always the best place for market research, right?), and I overheard two women chatting:
“Have you seen the stand with the Jimmy Choos?”

That was when I knew we’d nailed it.

This campaign wasn’t about the shoes. It was about standing out. It was about earning attention in a way that felt relevant, unexpected, and memorable. And in a space where everyone was zigging - we zagged.

Sometimes, in B2B marketing we think we have to play it safe. But if you want to cut through, especially at events where you're one of many, you need to give people something to remember. Something they’ll talk about when you’re not in the room.

For us, it just happened to be a golden pair of Jimmy Choos.

Want to find your version of the Jimmy Choos?
Standing out doesn’t always mean going bigger, it means going braver. If you’re a marketer who’s ready to zig when everyone else is zagging, I can help. I work with marketers and marketing leaders to build confidence, think strategically, and find bold, creative ways to make an impact - whether that’s launching a standout campaign, leading a team, or navigating what’s next in your career.

Get in touch if you want a sounding board, a strategy partner, or someone to cheer you on as you take that next leap.