Avoiding Spray and Pray: Smarter Display Strategy in a Signal-Loss Era

Written By Julian Race

If you’re in B2B and still running display like it’s B2C, it might be time to hit pause.

Display advertising isn’t dead, but it is different. The wide-net tactics of the early 2010s don’t hold up in today’s privacy-first, signal-thin, buyer-skeptical landscape. And yet, too many B2B brands are still running programmatic campaigns that feel like digital billboards on the wrong highway.

From Metrics to Meaning

Digital once promised us precision: better metrics, better targeting, better results. But with third-party cookies fading and user trust at an all-time low, the game has changed. Yes, we have more data than ever, but relevance is what cuts through. And in B2B, relevance isn’t optional.

Display gets a bad rap for a reason: intrusive formats, lazy creative, and placements that make no sense. You’ve seen them, ads for enterprise SaaS showing up between cat videos or mid-scroll on a mobile game. These aren’t just wasted impressions; they’re reputational risks.

Spray and Pray is Dead

The term “spray and pray” still sums up too many campaigns: mass-blasted banners with no regard for environment, audience mindset, or buying stage. Even with sophisticated programmatic tools available, it’s easy to default to reach over resonance.

But in B2B, you’re not targeting everyone; you’re targeting decision-makers with long buying cycles, layered needs, and zero patience for noise. That means your display strategy needs to behave more like account-based marketing, and less like digital carpet bombing.

Retargeting: Still Relevant If Done Right

Let’s be clear: retargeting still has a place. But it only works if the traffic you’re retargeting is qualified and engaged. If your site isn’t optimized for clear messaging and conversion pathways, all the pixel-chasing in the world won’t matter.

Instead of retargeting everyone who bounced, consider retargeting segments that showed buyer intent: pricing page views, demo interactions, or key content downloads. Incorporate messaging that speaks to where they left off, rather than just a generic brand banner.

Context Matters

Where your ads show up is just as important as who sees them. Contextual targeting is making a comeback as a more innovative way to align the message with the mindset. Ads placed within relevant editorial content or industry-specific platforms can outperform generic placements, even with lower reach.

It’s not just about being seen. It’s about being seen where it counts.

Display Can Still Be Strategic

B2B display doesn’t have to be wasteful. When used with intention, it can support awareness, reinforce thought leadership, and nurture buying journeys already in motion. But only if it’s:

  • Backed by strategy

  • Informed by audience insights

  • Executed with high-quality creative

  • Measured beyond impressions

At Gn5, we approach paid media like a craft, not a volume game. Whether you’re running a brand awareness campaign or supporting ABM motion, your media should reflect the precision and thoughtfulness of your overall strategy.

If your display campaigns don’t look like they were made for humans, or worse, for the wrong humans, let’s talk.

Julian Race