Account-based marketing (ABM) has transformed the way businesses approach winning high-value accounts. But every business does it differently. Here are three extraordinary ABM case studies that demonstrate the range of its creative possibilities.
ABM vs traditional marketing
Traditional marketing methods aim to cast a wide net and then select the most promising ‘catches’ to nurture and convert.
ABM, on the other hand, focuses on targeting and personalisation to convert the attention of specific accounts or individuals. But is it a scalable, practical approach that any marketing team can master?
3 ABM case studies to learn from
In reality, the term 'ABM' covers a number of different approaches, including one-to-one ABM, one to few (aka ABM Lite) and one-to-many (aka programmatic ABM). Each requires different levels of expertise, resource and support to implement.
We've picked three classic ABM case studies, showing elements of each approach and demonstrating their different strengths and weaknesses.
1. One-to-one ABM: GumGum’s comic book for T-Mobile
Some of the most compelling examples of ABM (Account Based Marketing) are the high-stakes, one-to-one marketing campaigns that have become the talk of the industry.
The challenge
GumGum is a leader in computer vision technology, specialising in innovative solutions for digital advertising. And they wanted to win the hugely lucrative T-Mobile account.
But, T-Mobile, led by its highly visible and social media-savvy CEO, John Legere, was a hard nut to crack - so the team decided the best plan was to target Legere directly.
The goal was to highlight how a potential collaboration could benefit their unlimited data plan rollout using innovative computer vision technology.
The solution
Instead of following conventional outreach methods, the creative team developed a custom comic book titled T-Man and Gums, featuring Legere himself as a superhero.
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The process involved:
- A dedicated creative team (editors, writers, illustrators).
- Months of detailed production to align the narrative with T-Mobile’s brand ethos and Legere’s love for Batman.
- A direct delivery of 100 comic books to T-Mobile and their agencies of record.
The outcome
The effort stood out. Within hours, Legere tweeted praise for the campaign.
This innovative and high-risk ABM strategy directly led to a meeting, securing T-Mobile as a client.
But one-to-one ABM can be a high-risk, high-reward strategy
For most companies, giving so much resource to winning over just one contact in one account would be a crazy proposition.
However, Legere’s passions and enthusiasm held great sway at T-Mobile, so the planning, time and expense involved in making a comic book just for him and a small number of influencers in his orbit made a lot of sense.
One-to-one ABM is not the only way
But the principle of hyper targeting and personalisation that drives ABM is still a powerful draw for marketers working in sectors with long sales cycles and hard to reach audiences.
But most companies need a way to scale their approach.
2. BlueBotics: One-to-many and one-to-few ABM
BlueBotics, a pioneer in autonomous navigation technology wanted their proposition to become better known and understood within the automotive industry. Its flagship product, ANT (Autonomous Navigation Technology), powers automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and automated forklifts, simplifying on-site robotics operations.
To support its growth ambitions, BlueBotics turned to ABM, implementing a hybrid strategy that combined scalable tactics with deep personalisation to engage hard to reach decision-makers in manufacturing and logistics.
The challenge
Breaking through in these industries required BlueBotics to overcome several hurdles: limited brand awareness, outdated messaging and complex buying networks within target groups.
The company had to showcase its cutting-edge solutions in a way that resonated with a broad range of prospects while building trust with high-priority accounts.
The solution
To solve for this BlueBotics implemented a multi-layered ABM strategy, blending so called One-to-Many and One-to-Few approaches to maximise reach and engagement.
Strategic targeting and segmentation
- Using advanced data tools, BlueBotics identified 400 target accounts based on industry relevance, company size, and key decision-maker roles.
- A shortlist of 12 high-value accounts was selected for deeper personalisation.
Multi-channel campaign execution
- One-to-many campaigns:
- Digital Advertising: Delivered over 21,000 impressions to build awareness within the 400 target accounts.
- Email Outreach: Personalised email sequences engaged key stakeholders, addressing their specific business challenges.
- Content Creation: Developed assets like blogs, whitepapers, and industry-specific case studies to guide accounts through the buyer’s journey.
- One-to-few campaigns:
- Tailored Content: Delivered hyper-focused materials, including bespoke success stories and ROI-focused content, aligned with individual account priorities.
- Direct Mail: Sent tailored packages to decision-makers in the 12 priority accounts, creating a tangible and memorable touchpoint.
- Targeted Follow-Ups: Combined direct mail with personalised digital and physical follow-ups, ensuring continued engagement with these accounts
- Sales and marketing alignment:
- Collaborative workshops ensured that Sales and Marketing teams were aligned on account strategies, messaging, and outreach efforts.
- CRM integration tracked campaign performance, enabling data-driven decision-making and real-time adjustments.
The outcome
The campaign produced remarkable outcomes:
- Generated over $4.5 million (£4 million) in pipeline opportunities.
- Secured $1 million (£750,000) in closed-won revenue.
- Won major multinational clients, including Michelin, Toyota Forklift, ABB, Creform, and Yaskawa Electric Corporation.
- Achieved 100% engagement with the 12 One-to-Few accounts, generating 15 conversations and closing 2 deals.
- Established approximately 160 new relationships through the One-to-Many program.
How did BlueBotics plan its ABM approach?
But this hugely complex multi-year approach to ABM is not the only way to see its benefits at scale.
In fact, Orbit Media, has found great success by bringing together elements of its traditional inbound content marketing approach and the targeted efforts of ABM to turbo-charge its marketing efforts.
3. Orbit Media: Account-based content marketing
The challenge
Orbit Media wanted to build ABM into their content marketing programme for manufacturing customers and prospects. Their plan was to augment their regular approach with a highly customised and data-driven campaign pivoting around a central conversion event.
The solution
Orbit Media began by identifying a list of ideal prospects, including marketing decision-makers at mid-sized manufacturing companies. Using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Lead411, they built a list based on industry, company size, and job roles.
Then they settled on a central conversion event around which they could build a campaign. In this case, the hook was a webinar based on original research tailored to this audience.
For the event, Orbit Media analysed the websites of the top 100 manufacturing companies, identifying trends and best practices in UX design. They turned this data into an invite-only digital event titled What the Top 100 Manufacturing Websites Get Right (and Wrong).
To promote the webinar, Orbit Media created a short, compelling video invite that they used across multiple platforms, including LinkedIn ads, direct outreach, and email campaigns. The landing page for the webinar was optimised with clear benefits, a strong call to action, and easy registration.
The outcome
The webinar attracted 150 highly qualified attendees from the agency's target list, with 30% of participants requesting follow-up consultations. The presentation delivered actionable insights and included live reviews of attendee websites, which attendees described as both practical and engaging.
These efforts directly led to five new client contracts within three months, accounting for a 20% increase in Orbit Media’s quarterly revenue. Additionally, the campaign solidified Orbit Media’s reputation as an industry leader, as evidenced by glowing feedback and increased enquiries from prospective clients.
And the recording of the webinar went on to be repurposed as inbound content to be used in hundreds of different ways.
Takeaway
One-to-many ABM campaigns like this show that you don’t need a massive budget to succeed. By leveraging original research, targeted outreach, and high-value content, you can attract the right audience and build lasting connections. The key is to create content that’s both relevant and actionable, making it easy for prospects to see the value in your offering.
Conclusion
ABM is not a one-size-fits-all solution—it’s a flexible framework that can be tailored to meet specific business objectives. GumGum’s comic-book campaign illustrates the impact of deeply personalised, one-to-one marketing, perfect for high-stakes opportunities.
BlueBotics’ hybrid approach highlights how to combine scale with personalisation to reach a broader audience while nurturing key accounts.
Finally, Orbit Media’s account-based content marketing shows how blending ABM with inbound strategies can generate scalable success without the need for massive budgets.
These examples prove that ABM is a powerful tool, whether you’re targeting a single decision-maker, key account clusters, or broader industry segments. By leveraging personalisation, creativity, and data-driven insights, ABM enables businesses to cut through the noise, foster deeper relationships, and drive more measurable growth.