BT Enlists the Help of Puppies and Kittens to Warn UK Businesses about the Risk of Cyber-Attacks

BT and Wunderman Thompson have launched a new integrated campaign to raise awareness of the risks posed to UK businesses by cyber-attacks.

With a cyber-attack every 19 seconds in the UK it’s vital that businesses put security top of the to-do list. The challenge is how to get businesses to sit up and pay attention.

In a move away from the product-led communications traditionally associated with B2B advertising, the 'Warning Signs' digital outdoor campaign, created by Wunderman Thompson, harnesses the power of emotion with adorable animals fronting a serious message. 

Each digital execution opens with a friendly warning accompanied by a cute kitten, puppy or rabbit, before encouraging businesses to up their defenses with BT security, with the reminder: “Cyber attacks don’t come with friendly warnings”.  

Featuring photography from multi-award-winning director David Boni, the campaign will appear on DOOH sites, D6s and escalator panels at major stations and transport hubs across London and the UK. The campaign will also run across BT’s Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels. 

The DOOH campaign is supported by a below-the-line campaign, also created by Wunderman Thompson, which sees the release of the fifth episode in BT’s ‘The Future is Now’ video series offering business owners insights, hints and tips on how to future-proof their businesses.

Episode 5 of ‘The Future is Now’ will help businesses understand how they can begin to build their cyber strategy. Presented by award-winning journalist Steph McGovern and featuring three cyber security experts, the film will run across BT’s social channels, including Facebook and Instagram, feature as a Verizon brand takeover and be supported by interactive content on BT.com.

The integrated campaign launches on Tuesday, April 5th and will run for six weeks. 

Both ‘Warning Signs’ and ‘The Future is Now’ will be supported by a range of connected communications, including bespoke social creative, events and a full suite of below-the-line comms.

This campaign follows Wunderman Thompson’s previous integrated campaigns for BT Global, including Go Further which used illustrations by renowned artist Noma Bar to highlight the threats that hide in plain sight.

Simon Till, brand and demand generation director for BT Enterprise, said: “Our push to raise awareness around BT’s cyber-security expertise extends from bold ATL advertising to engaging and interactive BTL content that encourages UK businesses to take action against the rise in cyber-threats. ‘Warning Signs’ is our most disruptive advertising campaign to date, treating business decision makers as human beings with emotions allowing for much more impactful and meaningful marketing. 

'Warning Signs' is complemented by the latest episode of ‘The Future is Now’, which delves into the psychology behind cyber-crime, the importance of continuous training and finding the right technology partner. Together, these campaigns help create an engaging through-the-line experience for UK businesses whilst equipping them with key skills and knowledge to help protect themselves.”

Paul Snoxell, creative director at Wunderman Thompson, said: “The ‘Warning Signs’ campaign is the ultimate combination of the adorable and the unignorable, with super-cute animal stars lowering people’s defences before the cold, hard reality of cyber threats kicks in. ‘The Future is Now’, now on its fifth episode, gets under the skin of cyber security today, offering actionable advice for businesses. With BT, we've made an integrated campaign that refuses to behave like traditional B2B advertising. It's charming, simple and helps businesses protect themselves against the scourge of cyber-threats."