This is additional episode context for our podcast episode with Samuel Tyler, Sr. Manager of Corporate Marketing at Bugcrowd. For Episode 5, Samuel Tyler shares his unique experience with a surprisingly well-performing 2020 RSA campaign and how cybersecurity vendors can stand out at events and digitally now.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Hacker Valley Media, or wherever you get your podcasts!
What is Bugcrowd?
Bugcrowd is a cybersecurity knowledge platform that connects the greatest hacking minds to organizations to help identify potential weak spots and blind spots using data, technology, and human intelligence.
The RSA Out of Home Campaign
It was January 2020. Bugcrowd had already committed $10,000 in news rack advertising for RSA Conference 2020…that was happening in just a month. Samuel, who was new to Bugcrowd, had just a day to come up with the creatives. He and the Bugcrowd team decided to create funny ads with statements that CISOs would never say.
One of the news racks near the Moscone Center during the RSA Conference in 2020
Shortly after the signs were posted, the pandemic hit. Around half a year later, Samuel was surprised to see his newsracks still up! People started messaging him thinking that the campaign was new and inexpensive (well, they were half correct).
For events as big as the RSA, companies want to be top of mind and be visible, given the amount of money spent to have a booth and attend. Bugcrowd clearly succeeded as, at last check, the campaign was up 14 months(!!!) later. The $10,000 was obviously well worth it! In fact, it’s one of the most successful campaigns we’ve ever seen.
View the original creative here!
View the ads live on the news stands here!
More photos are also at the bottom of this post!
Learnings from other industries
Before joining the world of cybersecurity marketing, Samuel was in design and brand at tourism and other consumer-facing companies. There are lessons that cybersecurity marketers can learn from this more B2C-focused experience.
Stop Using Templates!
Sam noticed that with the rise of digital marketing, we have gotten side tracked, focused solely on instant reactions and looking to big brands with big teams of people to the point that creative ideas get buried in generic ideas.
As a result, marketers tend to give customers templates that look like everyone else’s, which is a disservice to them.
You Have to Have an Opinion to Stand Out!
Have you ever noticed that all cybersecurity marketing brands use the color blue, use hexagons in their logos, and their wordmarks are in the Proxima Nova font? Samuel has!
Here are Samuel’s practical tips on how to stand out in cybersecurity marketing:
- Make a plan for your brand. This operates on the premise that If it doesn’t work on paper, it’s not gonna work in reality.
- Decide on what you want people to feel about the product now and in twelve months. How people feel about the product or brand now will change over time. Be a step ahead of that.
- Prioritize design, but don’t neglect the essentials. Some brands put design in the backburner, but the other extreme is too much focus on the design and neglecting whether the message of the brand is communicated.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity companies can stand out! Not everyone may be as lucky as Bugcrowd’s out of home campaign, but with a clear plan in place, opportunities can follow.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Hacker Valley Media, or wherever you get your podcasts!
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