AxiCom was asked to help Ontinet.com, ESET’s  exclusive reseller in the Spanish market, to develop a long term thought leadership campaign.  AxiCom used an educational oriented aimed at positioning the company and spokesperson as trend setters in the security market.

The Challenge

For Ontinet.com/ESET is vital that consumers are aware of the threats regarding security that mean using connected devices, from the desktop computers to the trendiest smartphones running the latest OS and applications and the way it´s possible to be prevented against all this.

For that on an annual basis, the company undertakes regular seminars all across Spain for students, IT professionals and the general public.

AxiCom was challenged to undertake a communications campaign to generate media buzz around all security related educational topics and contribute positioning ESET/Ontinet.com as a thought leader in this area.

The Strategy

Development of  a new consumer education messaging, focusing on advices, tips and tricks to leverage the program, positioning ESET/Ontinet.com in media through interviews and contributed articles.

Position ESET/Ontinet.com’s spokesperson as a trend setter in security, with a deep background of more than 15 years in the development of educational programs around user behaviour.

AxiCom has developed a comprehensive program consisting on pitching in interviews and contributed articles at national and regional/local levels, supported with a wide range of press releases on tips and tricks to show the users the benefits of developing responsible conduts when using their devices to communicate with their partners, read news, share contents or play online.

The strategy also included the implementation of the new user behaviour messaging in as much communication materials as possible. This resulting on revamped format and contents for the regular monthly threats ranking press releases, now oriented to show the user the main online menaces and how to avoid them; or on product releases highlighting the main features and functionalities that help the users get rid of the malware and enhance their behaviours (i.e. a light weight security solution ensures gamers do not have to turn off their antivirus scanner while gaming online).

Finally, the new messaging was also made available in the threat related news releases that the company puts together to keep the users informed about specific threats taking advantage of news stories. It made the difference when informing the press about the earthquake in Haiti early in January 2010, when the company showed how the attackers were using Facebook to distribute their malware.

The Result

Fernando de la Cuadra, Education director at Ontinet.com, has regularly being interviewed with regards to user behavior in several national and regional/local media.

Also, Fernando has bylined an average of two contributed articles per month, issued mainly on business, IT and IT channel publications.

In less than one year, the relation with several radio stations has resulted on a weekly collaboration with Onda Madrid, regional radio station in Madrid area.

Moreover, two national TV channels (La2 and Cuatro) issued pieces qouting Fernando about the ways the cybercriminals were using the earthquake in Haiti to increase the distribution of their creations, and giving the key advices to avoid them.

The most representative coverage includes eight pieces on national TV channels, eight radio interviews with local/regional coverage, 40 weekly collaborations in radio and more than 30 contributed articles published from January 2009 to March 2010. All in all, the coverage in the period exceeded the 1,500 clippings, including TV, radio, printed and online publications.

“The synergy achieved with the PR team at AxiCom Spain has been key to promoting our educational activities in the press. They have actively collaborated in the new messaging definition and implementation in all our communication materials, and have also been particularly active in pitching in our expertise on secure user behaviour to the right media at the right time, generating a great number of opportunities to amplify our message.”
Fernando de la Cuadra, Education Manager, Ontinet.com