Comments on: The three-ring security circus http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/security-bytes/the-three-ring-security-circus/ A SearchSecurity.com blog Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:52:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Tim http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/security-bytes/the-three-ring-security-circus/#comment-563 Tim Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:04:20 +0000 http://security.blogs.techtarget.com/2008/10/28/the-three-ring-security-circus/#comment-563 Agreed in the sense that "any press is good press". I'm definitely NOT on that bandwagon. However, these types of tactics are all designed with tongue-in-cheek anyway, so the fact that Information Security and the Wall Street Journal actually wrote about it, that IS a win for these marketing folks. Anything that draws more attention to these types of campaigns will have people wanting to hear/read more of what was actually involved...and readers WILL check out the websites and such. If that pull-through has any value and they did their job on the back-end, it is a complete win. Don't believe for a second that these seasoned marketing professionals think that these tactics were designed to be ultra-serious. Part of the thinking is to get laughed at a little...because even that part means that someone is paying attention. It is when there is NO reaction that they need to be worried. Agreed in the sense that “any press is good press”. I’m definitely NOT on that bandwagon. However, these types of tactics are all designed with tongue-in-cheek anyway, so the fact that Information Security and the Wall Street Journal actually wrote about it, that IS a win for these marketing folks. Anything that draws more attention to these types of campaigns will have people wanting to hear/read more of what was actually involved…and readers WILL check out the websites and such. If that pull-through has any value and they did their job on the back-end, it is a complete win. Don’t believe for a second that these seasoned marketing professionals think that these tactics were designed to be ultra-serious. Part of the thinking is to get laughed at a little…because even that part means that someone is paying attention. It is when there is NO reaction that they need to be worried.

]]> By: Dennis Fisher http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/security-bytes/the-three-ring-security-circus/#comment-562 Dennis Fisher Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:06:06 +0000 http://security.blogs.techtarget.com/2008/10/28/the-three-ring-security-circus/#comment-562 I don't think this is the sort of publicity these companies had in mind. If you buy into the theory that there's no such thing as bad press, then I guess it's mission accomplished for them. But I've never been one to support that line of thinking, and I'd doubt that the marketing guys at these companies are jumping up and down about their tactics being laughed at. I don’t think this is the sort of publicity these companies had in mind. If you buy into the theory that there’s no such thing as bad press, then I guess it’s mission accomplished for them. But I’ve never been one to support that line of thinking, and I’d doubt that the marketing guys at these companies are jumping up and down about their tactics being laughed at.

]]> By: Tim http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/security-bytes/the-three-ring-security-circus/#comment-561 Tim Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:50:24 +0000 http://security.blogs.techtarget.com/2008/10/28/the-three-ring-security-circus/#comment-561 Wow, Bill Brenner departs and Dennis Fisher picks up right where he left off when it comes to this topic. Rather than let it be, perhaps two of the most respected journalists in the technology space (Fisher and Worthen) decided to give even MORE ink (albeit cyber) to F-Secure, Panda Security and McAfee based on their so-called publicity stunts. I've said it before and I'll say it again...congrats to the marketing and PR teams of the aforementioned companies to generate this kind of media attention. And as with Mr. Brenner in the past, nobody is saying that Mr. Fisher is wrong. But in order for the gimmicks, scare tactics, FUD and trickery to ever work, there must be an information delivery vehicle to reach more eyeballs. So, if the media truly believes that all of this stuff is hogwash, as they would have you believe, the only way that they can prove that is to NOT write about it. Wow, Bill Brenner departs and Dennis Fisher picks up right where he left off when it comes to this topic. Rather than let it be, perhaps two of the most respected journalists in the technology space (Fisher and Worthen) decided to give even MORE ink (albeit cyber) to F-Secure, Panda Security and McAfee based on their so-called publicity stunts.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…congrats to the marketing and PR teams of the aforementioned companies to generate this kind of media attention.

And as with Mr. Brenner in the past, nobody is saying that Mr. Fisher is wrong. But in order for the gimmicks, scare tactics, FUD and trickery to ever work, there must be an information delivery vehicle to reach more eyeballs. So, if the media truly believes that all of this stuff is hogwash, as they would have you believe, the only way that they can prove that is to NOT write about it.

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