B2B organizations are significantly underperforming their potential, leaving more than 50% of possible performance gains untapped by managing media channels in isolation. According to research conducted by Horizon Business, formerly known as Green Thread, the lack of a unified strategy for paid, earned, owned, and shared media is a critical issue for many companies.
The study highlights that B2B marketers who integrate these media types into a cohesive strategy can substantially enhance the impact of their marketing investments. The findings were released on November 18, 2025, coinciding with Horizon Media’s announcement of the rebranding of Green Thread into Horizon Business. This new unit aims to help brands succeed in a marketplace that increasingly demands interconnected marketing efforts.
Chris Hummel, President of Horizon Business, emphasized the importance of addressing this issue. “Siloed marketing is the single biggest obstacle to B2B growth,” he stated. “Our research proves that orchestrating all media channels as one portfolio can boost business impact by over 50%, but most companies aren’t structured to do it. We launched Horizon Business to solve that problem.”
Identifying the Disconnect in B2B Marketing
The research reveals a substantial disconnect between the execution of B2B marketing strategies and their resultant business impact. Despite 90% of members of the American Marketing Association (ANA) identifying as having a B2B component, many continue to operate their marketing channels independently rather than as an integrated system aimed at achieving measurable business outcomes.
Key practices that enable superior performance through a connected media strategy include:
– Unified measurement frameworks that track engagement and business impact across all customer touchpoints.
– Integrated planning processes that optimize resource allocation based on how channels interact.
– Cross-channel attribution models that reveal the true drivers of business outcomes.
– Coordinated content strategies that maintain consistent messaging across various media.
Organizations that adopt these connected approaches demonstrate significantly improved performance across critical business metrics, including pipeline generation, customer acquisition costs, and lifetime value optimization.
Amy Kingdon, Vice President of Marketing at Berkeley Research Group, highlighted the effectiveness of this approach: “For the global launch of our refreshed brand positioning, they provided the insight and strategic consulting needed to build the plan, demonstrating the power of moving beyond siloed paid media to a truly orchestrated model that drives real business impact.”
The Evolution of Horizon Business
The transition from Green Thread to Horizon Business reflects the success of the connected media approach in achieving favorable client outcomes. Since its inception, the unit has more than doubled its billings annually and is on track for similar growth in 2025, with projections indicating continued expansion into 2026.
“We started our B2B drive three years ago to prove our differentiated approach works,” said Bob Lord, President of Horizon Media Holdings. “The results prove it does. Horizon Business isn’t just about brand building; we help growth-minded organizations translate strategy into action, using advanced analytics and precision targeting to drive revenue.”
Horizon Business aims to continue supporting industry leaders such as TIAA, Berkeley Research Group, Spectrum Business, and Mack Trucks while expanding its capabilities to assist a wider range of B2B organizations seeking measurable outcomes through unified media strategies.
The innovative approach of Horizon Business combines consulting, data analytics, creative execution, and media planning to create tangible outcomes for clients. This model directly addresses the evolving needs of B2B marketers, who now require partners capable of integrating creative, commercial, and operational expertise.
As noted, 90% of ANA members now identify as having a B2B component, underscoring the market’s demand for such integrated capabilities. Horizon Business’s connected media strategy enables several critical functions that enhance business performance, including:
– Strategic orchestration, which optimizes how different media types interact throughout the complex B2B buying cycle.
– Data-driven intelligence, utilizing advanced analytics to identify effective channel combinations.
– Agile execution, allowing for real-time optimization based on performance data.
– Precision targeting, ensuring messaging reaches decision-makers at optimal moments in the buying process.
The connected media strategy research integrates quantitative analysis of B2B marketing performance across various industries with qualitative insights from marketing and sales leaders. It comprises interviews with over 100 industry-leading Chief Marketing Officers, brand stewards, and growth leaders.
For those interested, an executive summary of the report is available on the Horizon Business website.
Horizon Business is dedicated to delivering measurable results through connected media strategies that integrate various channels into a unified portfolio. This approach maximizes the business impact of marketing investments and is positioned to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving marketplace.
Horizon Media, the largest independent media agency globally, has been delivering data-driven outcomes for innovative brands since its founding in 1989. Headquartered in New York, with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, the agency employs over 2,400 staff and manages media investments exceeding $8.5 billion.