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What my favourite romantic movies taught me about B2B marketing 

Barry Lemon

1 Jan 1970

(Apparently, all starring one of two Julias – must be my ‘type’!) Romantic films endure for a reason. They understand people – their insecurities, quirks, and moments of connection. Strip away the meet-cutes and soundtracks, and you’re left with something B2B marketing still struggles to get right: how relationships actually work. Valentine’s Day got me thinking… are there B2B marketing lessons hidden in my favourite romcoms?
  1. Pretty Woman
Assumptions kill relationships. Curiosity builds them. We’re going straight in with an iconic scene! When Vivian enters that first shop, ready to spend Edward’s money, they take one look at her and she’s dismissed. Judged. Written off. All based on assumptions. She has the spending power. But she isn’t nurtured in a way that inclines her to spend it there – leading her to take her spree elsewhere. The B2B lesson: Marketing makes the same mistake when it assumes what a buyer wants, needs, or values – without listening first. When we lead with what we want to say or rely on surface-level signals, the result is predictable: disengagement, disinterest, missed opportunities. Or, as Vivian would say: “Big mistake. Huge.” Don’t push your ICPs into the arms of your competitors by making assumptions. Get to know them – and the returns tend to follow.
  1. Save the Last Dance
It’s (sadly) never just the two of you. Save the Last Dance isn’t just about two people connecting. It’s about everything around them that makes that connection harder – different worlds, social pressure, expectations, and unspoken rules. The relationship works not because those forces disappear, but because they’re acknowledged and navigated. The B2B lesson: Buying decisions work much the same way. Even when one person is leading the charge, there are always other voices in the room – influencing, questioning, blocking, or quietly steering the outcome. Much like the importance of making a good first impression with a new romantic partner’s family and friends, B2B marketing must schmooze all influential parties. It’s not about winning over one person. It’s about understanding the dynamics at play – and responding to all of them with empathy.
  1. 10 Things I Hate About You (Quick Julia count: so far this one takes us to Julia Stiles 2 – Julia Roberts 1)
Most relationships don’t start with certainty. They start with resistance. Find me a millennial who doesn’t know Kat’s iconic 10 Things I Hate About You poem off by heart. Two things stand out to me about this poem: First, every line is tailored to Patrick – the way he drives her car, the way he cuts his hair, and of course his ‘big dumb combat boots’. It could only have been written about him by someone who’d been paying attention. Second, it isn’t a love letter in the traditional sense. It starts out as the opposite – a list of things she thinks she hates. The B2B lesson: Brands don’t start from a position of love. They don’t even start from neutrality. They start from scepticism. Your audience expects:
  • Another sales pitch
  • Another interruption
  • Another reason to disengage
Sometimes, the goal isn’t to convince a buyer to love you straight away. It’s to quietly challenge the things they expect to hate. The cost of change. The effort of evolution. The sense that this “isn’t for them”. Until, almost without realising it, they don’t hate you. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.
  1. Notting Hill (Julia Roberts clawing back the draw!)
Celebrities, brands, B2B buyers – strip it back and it’s just people. “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her” lands because it does just that. It strips away status and puts vulnerability front and centre. Anna Scott may be a huge star – a brand, even – but the relationship is only possible once that layer falls away. William struggles while he sees her as an untouchable entity. It’s when she forces him to see her as “just a girl” that the rules dissolve and a real connection can form. The B2B lesson: B2B is often treated as a different beast to B2C. More serious. More complex. Less emotional. In reality, it’s still just people on the receiving end of your marketing. People under pressure and with limited attention spans. People who want to feel understood. People who don’t suddenly lose their humanity at work. Strong B2B marketing shouldn’t be dulled down or formulaic. Because whether you’re speaking to a global brand or a global celebrity, the truth is the same: You’re still talking to just a person.
  1. Valentine’s Day
In a small industry, every interaction is part of a wider story. Valentine’s Day works because of its chaos. So many storylines. So many connections. People crossing paths in ways we don’t expect. It’s a useful reminder that relationships rarely sit in neat, isolated boxes. (Also: yes, Julia Roberts appears again. I honestly just realised this when getting to this point!) The B2B lesson: B2B industries are smaller than we like to think. Paths cross. Reputations travel. Conversations get shared – sometimes without you ever being in the room. Which means your marketing isn’t just shaping one interaction. It’s shaping how people talk about you when you’re not there. It’s the genuine ones – the thoughtful, consistent, human ones – that get remembered. And recommended. The common thread (apart from ‘Julia’) All of these films work because they understand something simple: relationships are built on timing, trust, and intent – not grand gestures alone. B2B marketing is no different. Strip away the channels, the tech, and the tactics, and you’re still dealing with people. People who don’t want to be rushed. Or dazzled. Or overwhelmed. They want to be understood. What’s your favourite romcom? Tell me – I bet I can find a B2B marketing lesson in there, too!

Barry Lemon

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