Arbor Networks
“Establishing Thought Leadership”

The Challenge:

Arbor Networks, a network behavior analysis detection company, prides itself on a having a robust news pipeline. In fact, the company recently achieved three successful quarters packed with coverage based on product introductions, research and survey news. However, in the fourth quarter of 2006, the company was facing a sparse pipeline with very little news on the horizon. Sensing a potentially low quarter of coverage looming, Arbor’s challenge was daunting. How does a small security vendor in a crowded marketplace with a fairly niche security product offering penetrate the media with little news to share?

The LP&P Difference:

LP&P quickly realized that a strategy needed to be established in order to preserve the momentum that was built earlier in the year. Without an aggressive strategy in the absence of news, Arbor’s competitors could easily encroach on the company’s mindshare.

LP&P felt strongly that this was the appropriate time to elevate Arbor as a thought leader and expert resource on industry issues and to begin more penetrating industry conversation more proactively. The team already knew that Arbor had willing spokespersons who were not media shy. The key; however, was to truly tap those resources for the insight and expertise they possessed.

Through a series of lengthy of interviews, LP&P was able to mine for proactive pitch angles and was able to understand exactly who held specific areas of expertise.  Once this data was collected, it was time to get aggressive. Arbor’s fourth quarter success hinged on LP&P’s ability to elevate the profile of ASERT team members and to convince the media that ASERT was a team of experts worth talking to.

Throughout the duration of Q4, nearly 15 proactive pitches were generated and 50 articles were secured in the absence of any hard news on Arbor’s behalf. Not only was LP&P able to position Arbor as a thought leader and a go-to media resource, Arbor Networks and the ASERT team are now regularly sought out for comment on industry and security issues.

The Results:

LP&P was successful in inserting Arbor into primary industry conversations including: National Cybersecurity Month, Windows Vista security issues, security threats around e-Voting, E*Trade and TD Ameritrade trading fraud and the local Massachusetts Akamai botnet attack.

Traction in the business and bridge press also increased. In Q4 alone, LP&P was successful in securing briefings with The Wall Street Journal, Wired Magazine, and The Washington Post.

 

View more information on Lois Paul & Partner's Security Practice Area