MIX PR CASE STUDY Pornblocker

2012
BRONZE ANVIL AWARD
OF COMMENDATION
WINNER
Business-to-business PR
MIX PR: CASE STUDY
From Porn-Blocker to Cybercrime Fighter
Filtering Websense Perception
MIX PR: CASE STUDY
OVERVIEW
Over the last four years, Websense, Inc. evolved its product portfolio from a simple
URL filter product and became a global market leader in unified web, data, and email
content security. However, even with an award-winning advanced security product
suite, the public (and customer) perception of the organization was dominated by a
legacy view as “porn blocking” software. Websense had become pigeonholed for its
legacy web filtering products, which was costing millions of dollars in lost business
against competitors. In 2011, the Websense public relations (PR) team changed that
perception through extensive brand research, planning, and aggressive B2B media
relations.
RESEARCH PLANNING
To research Websense brand perception, PR conducted a blind survey of 100 senior CISO,
CISOs, vice presidents, and directors of information security in Q1 2011. When asked
what Websense provided, 54 percent didn’t know and 21 percent said filtering. To further
understand what messaging resonated with the target audience, the survey also asked
what top three attributes respondents thought defined a content security vendor. Respondents said effectiveness, proven, and reliability. The survey also asked where respondents
went for their news confirming media relations should focus on business technology
outlets like Network World, CIO, and CSO.
This research was the foundation for Q1 2011 public relations planning. After the
research, PR created a plan to conduct aggressive media relations and target top IT trade
publications. This plan included pitching B2B outlets specific stories that focused on
Websense content security news. The target audiences included reporters from top-tier
IT security media outlets, top business publications, and top DMA dailies—because their
coverage would ultimately impact the public perception of Websense across the widest
audiences. PR also counseled spokespeople to weave in the effectiveness, proven, and
reliability messages during interviews. As part of the planning, measureable objectives
were established:
To shift the perception of Websense from a URL filtering company to a content
security company by using the B2B media outreach relations as a tactic
Increase the number of articles that mentioned the Websense flagship product
(TRITON), which supported the message that Websense is more than a URL filtering
company and is a security leader
Increase PR-driven traffic to the Websense website by encouraging B2B reporters to
include links to the Websense website, which reinforces the message that Websense is
a content security leader
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MIX PR: CASE STUDY
CREATIVITY & QUALITY
To change perception from URL filtering to content security, PR began a lengthy,
multi-pronged proactive B2B media relations campaign. The campaign began with
creating a completely new set of core messages to be included in every piece of collateral
development and media interaction, drawing attention to Web sense’s overarching
security offerings. The Websense PR team managed all media outreach for each campaignby developing brand awareness, building trends, and creating issues to proactively pitch.
To generate product news, PR pitched numerous stories on older security technology
shortcomings and positioned Websense TRITON as the most effective, proven, and
reliable solution. B2B media outlets covered that story as well as creative news angles
such as: commissioning independent research on social media risks; alerting the public
about new internet threats and how to stay safe online; a global Facebook partnership
(affecting all 750 million users); trends in cybercrime activity; top security predictions;
and Websense’s anti-censorship positioning.
RESULTS
As a result of the Websense PR team’s efforts, all B2B media goals were achieved—and
perception had noticeably shifted with national audiences from “filtering” to an established content security leader. In November 2011, a second brand survey was conducted
with 100 respondents with the same profile as Q1 2011. Positive responses identifying
Websense as providing web, email, or data security increased 30 percent. There was also a
28 decrease in those who said they didn’t know what Websense did or identified
“filtering.”
In 2011, Websense media coverage increased by 42 percent (from 709 articles in 2010
to 1,009 in 2011).
Websense TRITON media coverage increased by more than 1,000 percent (from seven
articles in 2010 to 70 articles in 2011).
Outlets included many B2B and top business outlets: CIO, CRN, CSO, eWeek, Fast
Company, MSNBC, Network World, Search Security, Tech Crunch, TIME, Venture
Beat, Wall Street Journal, WIRED, ZDNet, and more.
B2B media outreach also contributed to a 41 percent increase in PR-driven Websense
website traffic.
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