'Furry friends' aim to grab attention for BT cyber push

BT is taking a novel approach to raise awareness of the risks posed to UK businesses by cyber-attacks, shunning dire warnings and threatening images to harness “the power of emotion” by getting young pets to front a serious message.

With official figures revealing there is a cyber-attack every 19 seconds in the UK, Wunderman Thompson have been charged with getting firms to sit up and pay attention and to put security at the top of the to-do list.

The ‘Warning Signs’ digital outdoor campaign opens with a friendly warning accompanied by a kitten, puppy or rabbit, before encouraging businesses to up their defences with BT security, with the reminder: “Cyber attacks don’t come with friendly warnings”; there is no voiceover.

Featuring photography from director David Boni, the campaign will appear on digital out of home sites, D6s and escalator panels at major stations and transport hubs across London and the UK. It will also run across BT’s Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.

The DOOH campaign is supported by the release of the fifth episode in BT’s ‘The Future is Now’ video series, also created by Wunderman Thompson, offering business owners insights, hints and tips on how to future-proof their businesses.

Presented by journalist Steph McGovern and featuring three cyber security experts, the film will run across BT’s social channels, including Facebook and Instagram, feature as a Verizon brand takeover and be supported by interactive content on BT.com.

Both initiatives will be supported by a range of connected communications, including bespoke social creative and events.

BT Enterprise brand and demand generation director Simon Till said: “Our push to raise awareness around BT’s cyber-security expertise extends from bold advertising to engaging and interactive content that encourages UK businesses to take action against the rise in cyber-threats. ‘Warning Signs’ is our most disruptive advertising campaign to date, treating business decision makers as human beings with emotions allowing for much more impactful and meaningful marketing.

Wunderman Thompson creative director Paul Snoxell added: “The ‘Warning Signs’ campaign is the ultimate combination of the adorable and the ‘unignorable’, with super-cute animal stars lowering people’s defences before the cold, hard reality of cyber threats kicks in. ‘The Future is Now’ gets under the skin of cyber security today, offering actionable advice for businesses.

“We’ve made an integrated campaign that refuses to behave like traditional B2B advertising. It’s charming, simple and helps businesses protect themselves against the scourge of cyber-threats.”