Palo Alto Networks Creatively secure

Unlocking growth in the C-suite with an AI-powered brand and media campaign.

27M

people estimated to have seen digital billboards

3x

higher CTR compared to industry average

The challenge

Investments in cybersecurity are increasing as companies try to defend against evergreen threats and newer risks such as adversarial AI. However, the market is also increasingly crowded. Standing out from competitors is tough.

Palo Alto Networks needed to drive more awareness – and subsequently more strategic selling opportunities – for its broad range of cybersecurity propositions.

The idea

Working in partnership with The Marketing, Palo Alto Networks set objectives for a CxO brand awareness campaign to:

  • Demonstrably improve brand awareness in the UK, France and Germany, as measured through a brand tracking exercise

  • Shift brand perception among the target C-suite audience, from tactical firewall vendor to go-to cybersecurity partner

  • Trial AI at the creative stage to speed up time to market and minimize spend

  • Deliver the campaign across multiple channels including, but not limited to; influencers, podcast advertising and
    digital out of home

Attachment 2 - hero banner ad

The story

The team uncovered that all C-level executives know cybersecurity is a problem, but because of their different remits, they talk about it differently. The campaign needed to find a language which would speak to everyone from the CISO responsible for protecting against risk, to the CEO charged with delivering growth.

The central theme was that cybersecurity platforms shouldn’t be viewed as a hygiene factor, but leveraged as growth enablers. This angle opened up C-level conversations more widely than just within the CISO’s office.

The team uncovered that all C-level executives know cybersecurity is a problem, but because of their different remits, they talk about it differently. The campaign needed to find a language which would speak to everyone from the CISO responsible for protecting against risk, to the CEO charged with delivering growth.

The team created a story that spanned shortform asset headlines like ‘Security sells’ and ‘Cybersecurity cultivates growth’ through to longer form copy in collateral which showcased relevant use cases. 

Attachment 1 - padlockstogether (1)

The experience

The power of the unexpected

The creative team crafted messaging that subverted expectations, to make the target audience sit up and take notice. 

Captivating imagery was generated by skillfully prompting the tool, Prome AI, the campaign’s central image was a padlock rendered in new and creative ways or superimposed on surprising scenery. This visual representation showcased the new and unexpected value that cybersecurity can bring to businesses.

An integrated, multi-channel campaign ran in the UK, France and Germany, driving prospects to a bespoke landing page.

Waterloo3 (1)
Attachment 5 - LaDefense2
Attachment 3 - Waterloo1
Waterloo3 (1)
Attachment 5 - LaDefense2
Attachment 3 - Waterloo1

The outcomes

The program was a huge success, with results including:

  • 27 million people estimated to have seen the digital billboards

  • 139% increase in website visits in target countries 

  • 7.1% increase in unaided awareness 

  • 3x higher click-through-rate than the industry average

  • 15.5% increase in aided awareness

  • 75% increase in creative delivery time with the use of AI 

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"This campaign’s creative delivered big time. For our disruptive and market leading cybersecurity platforms, we needed a bold look and feel to stand out in a crowded market. And the team nailed it. The images are beautiful and the copy on point – couldn’t ask for more to shift perception in our target C-level audience."

Andrew Shepherd
Senior Director, EMEA Marketing, Palo Alto Networks