Pushing database security higher up the security agenda.
Our brief was to generate media coverage that would direct traffic to Secerno’s website and warm its sales environment. This would subsequently drive customer acquisition and company growth.
In order to achieve these objectives, it was necessary to focus the media’s attention more prominently on database security and position Secerno as the only solution to the issue.
For this three-month project, we devised and executed two campaigns. The first campaign was designed to push the issue of SQL injection attacks on corporate databases higher up the security agenda. We did this by advising key security press how these attacks are able to circumvent traditional security defences, making database security – i.e. Secerno – as much a ‘must have’ security appliance as anti-spam, anti-virus and firewall technologies.
The second campaign focused on enterprises’ corporate responsibility to protect the data held on its systems. We did this by campaigning for the implementation of an EU directive to make it the legal responsibility of companies to tell customers when confidential data has been hacked. For example, we conducted a survey at the leading European security exhibition, Infosecurity, and gauged the opinions of security professionals on the burgeoning issue. The results showed 77 per cent of respondents wanted the directive to be passed as UK law. A press release was drafted and sold in to key press, providing the media with the opinions of hundreds of IT managers that at the same time resonated with one of Serceno’s key messages. This was complemented by fast-turnaround issues hijacking, offering Secerno to the media for comment and opinion on high-profile data breaches, such as Standard Life and TJX (TK Maxx).
In just three months, Carrot’s PR campaigns generated 60 pieces of coverage as well as numerous media interviews in Secerno’s key press, including: Computing; VNU.com; Computer Weekly; SC Magazine; Computer World; and IT Week.
Crucially, the campaigns prompted a 25 per cent increase in traffic to Secerno’s website, and substantially increased inbound leads.
Carrot took the time to understand our business and the issues that surround our sector. The company devised and implemented an intelligent PR campaign that not only resonated with the media agenda, but also delivered our key messages to our target audiences, helping us strengthen our market reputation and meet our business objectives.
Emma Dunstone, Marketing Director, Secerno