Taking a Creative Approach to Conference Media Relations
Without a news hook, Voxus helps raise WatchGuard’s profile during a major security conference
Increasing Awareness and Relevance in a News Vacuum
In setting objectives for RSAC 2020, one of the world’s largest security tradeshows, WatchGuard determined it wanted to generate attention during the show despite a lack of major announcements or new initiatives. In fact, the company was not even planning to sponsor or exhibit at the show. Voxus was asked to overcome these hurdles with a media strategy that would increase brand awareness and thought leadership around the event.
Taking a Creative Approach to Conference Media Relations
Voxus developed a plan to use off-floor and street-level venues to reach a targeted set of key channel and security press for interviews with WatchGuard executives outside the exhibition hall. The media relations campaign for Watchguard capitalized on existing company plans for a series of non-traditional marketing activities around RSA – providing free lunch at WatchGuard-branded food trucks, giving away WatchGuard coffee tumblers at nearby Starbucks locations, and helping attendees avoid the San Francisco traffic with free rides to and from Moscone Center in WatchGuard-branded pedicabs. The pedicabs specifically were used by Voxus as a unique forum for media to speak with WatchGuard experts, while having a coffee and being taken to the conference. The approach resonated well.
Bicycles and News Cycles
The strategy far exceeded expectations. Voxus was able to secure a total of 27 interviews and pieces of coverage including MSSP Alert, ChannelPro Network, DataBreachToday, BankInfoSecurity, and many more hits across outlets throughout the U.S., the UK, EU, India and Asia. As an example, watch the fun ChannelPro video interview here: People in Pedicabs with Security Experts: ChannelPro Speaks with WatchGuard.
WatchGuard’s initial expectations for RSAC 2020 media coverage were relatively low, given the lack of news to showcase at the event. The goal was simply to secure two or three interviews with key press and a couple features articles to drive awareness and thought leadership. Voxus proved to Watchguard that with hard work, the right media relations and some creativity, the absence of news doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker when it comes to generating media coverage at industry conferences.
