Brand Development, Content Creation, Content Strategy
Executive Summary:HackerOne, a B2B cybersecurity platform built on its community of ethical hackers, needed to win enterprise security buyers. But the “hacker” frame that worked with SMBs didn’t translate. Column Five developed Cyberstrength, a cybersecurity marketing campaign that repositioned HackerOne from defensive security to proactive data protection. The work included a campaign strategy, evolved messaging framework, a campaign identity system, and brand video — altogether a brand storytelling campaign to give enterprise security leaders a confident, future-focused HackerOne to buy into.
HackerOne is a cybersecurity company with a historic foothold among SMBs. They were ready to break into the enterprise space, so we partnered to develop a comprehensive campaign, including campaign strategy, campaign identity, video, and strategic messaging, to reposition the brand and elevate HackerOne’s presence in the market.
What we delivered
Having just completed a rebrand, HackerOne was eager to introduce a new identity to their audience. The company enjoyed a solid reputation as a community of skilled, “ethical” hackers who helped businesses identify their areas of vulnerability. However, HackerOne was keen to tout its much-expanded set of security capabilities.
Furthermore, market research revealed that their buyer disfavored the word “hacker,” as it conjured images of black-hat actors. To adapt to the enterprise market, we developed new messaging to evolve past the idea of hacking, or even cybersecurity, and introduce a new north star: Cyberstrength. This concept set a new standard for security that would galvanize CSOs to move past defense and into a stronger, more proactive era of data protection.
Cybersecurity imagery commonly plays into the underground, criminal element of hacking—think dark color palettes and tech-centric typography. We didn’t want to completely abandon some of the familiar elements that appeal to HackerOne’s tech audiences, but we wanted to push a more future-focused aesthetic.
Using HackerOne’s fresh visual identity, we played with eye-catching pink and blue hues to appeal to enterprise viewers. We also used the new arrow icon as a connecting motif across campaign assets, reminding security leaders that they are moving through an ever more dangerous threat landscape. This approach reinforced the sophisticated nature of HackerOne’s security solutions while creating a sense of expansiveness as the HackerOne audience heads confidently into the future.
A successful B2B cybersecurity marketing campaign in the enterprise doesn’t win by louder demand-gen. It wins by changing what the buyer pictures when they think of the brand. Enterprise security leaders evaluated HackerOne not on the strength of “ethical hackers,” but on whether the company looked like a partner who could protect the entire surface. Cyberstrength gave them that picture — and gave HackerOne the campaign infrastructure to repeat it across paid, organic, and event surfaces.
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