The challenge
In 2012, G Data AG tasked PS:PRovocative to support its re-entry on the Hungarian market. Because of a previous failed attempt to enter the market, G Data did not allocate an advertising budget for the second try, while V-Detect Antivírus Kft. (the new distributor) could support the communication with a limited 1 000 000 HUF (approx 3000 EUR).
This was used for the sponsoration of a conference in spring, PPC campaigns and graphic materials. At the start of the project brand awareness of G Data was very low in Hungary, less than 1% of users knew about its most advanced softwares.
Project data
- Industry: IT (Security)
- Client: G Data Software AG / V-Detect Antivírus Kft.
- Category: product introduction, reputation management, PR
- Year: From 2012, continuously
- Professional awards: Hungarian PR Association (MPRSZ) Sándor Imre Award, Kreatív Prizma Awards, Business Superbrands
The solution
PR activities started in the beginning of February, 2012 and consisted of 3 phases.
1. Preparation
In the first phase our main goal was to get to know the products and localize international materials of the company. We wrote all texts for the website and brochures, translating technical topics like twin-engine antivirus protection into everyday language. It was our task to build the company's website, which is now the first hit for the search term „anti-virus” in Hungarian on Google.
We launched a professional blog, https://virusirto.blog.hu cwhich is on the first page of Google search hits too. Every article on the blog is written by our colleagues. We also started a cooperation with Facecrooks magazine.
2. Appearance
In the second phase, we published G Data’s website and a Facebook page.
We made preparations to cooperate with Hungarian organizations and we achieved that G Data software became available for purchase in 25 stores of the 576 chain. We prepared educational materials and designed the appearance within the stores.
Afterwards, we started a cooperation with Huninet Association, an organization helping the work of institutions in higher education. Together with the association, G Data could launch a university program.
Conference sponsoration
One of the biggest IT conferences, CIO Hungary was around this period, and our client wanted to participate on it. Our task was to create a presence on the event that stands out, from a minimal budget. We used a shark figure filled with helium and flew it around above the heads of participants and handed out branded cakes for those who came to inquire about the brand. The flying G Data shark became quite popular on the conference.
3. Press communication
In the final phase, we started an active press communication, localizing G Data’s international press releases.
In order to develop stories, we made several market researches with our partner, NRC, and shed the spotlight on numerous topics about internet security. One of these topics were about the amount of time children under the age of 10 use the internet without parental supervision. This story became a full page article in daily papers Blikk and Bors, and got us an interview in Lánchíd radio.
We also made researches about Hungarians and torrent sites, credit card frauds and we participated in the communication of the first Hungarian Google bomb.
4. Partner event
G Data's very first partner event was held at the cinema of Lurdy Ház mall, with the presentation of IT security evangelist Eddie Williams. Over 100 partners and several journalists attended the event.
During the event we "hacked" the cinema with G Data advertisements that looked like movie posters.
The results
- Over 1300 media appearances bewteen 2012 and 2015
- TV interviews: RTL Klub News, MTV News, MTV Ma reggel (morning show)
- Radio interviews: Gazdasági rádió, Civil Rádió, Európa Rádió, Lánchíd Rádió, KlubRádió, Inforádió
- 118 print appearances, in a media value of 55 million HUF (approx. 177 500 EUR)
- The content of G Data blog is being used by several media and even the Governmet Incident Response Team.
- Business Superbrands 2014 award
- Educational agreements with high schools and universities
