Ads for an audience that doesn't like ads
A minimalist, tongue-in-cheek trade show invitation video for cybersecurity pros who hate B2B marketing.
Speaking to the most marketing-resistant audience in tech
Black Hat brings together some of the most technical practitioners in cybersecurity: SOC analysts, researchers, engineers, operators, and offensive security experts.
They’re sharp, skeptical, allergic to buzzwords — and notoriously unimpressed by traditional B2B marketing.
Trend Micro asked us to create a video invitation for their Black Hat booth, but with one clear warning:
“This audience doesn’t like marketing. At all.”
Our challenge became simple in theory, difficult in practice:
Create an ad that doesn’t feel like an ad — and actually resonates with them.
The Challenge: Earn trust in the first line
Security professionals have a natural distaste for vendor messaging... especially around trade shows. They can smell marketing fluff from a mile away.
If we opened with corporate language, we’d lose them instantly.
If we tried to be clever about cybersecurity, they’d see right through it.
So we knew two things right away:
- We had to acknowledge their reality.
- We had to do it instantly — or they’d scroll past.
The ad needed to say, without hesitation:
“We get you. We know what your day feels like. No sales pitch. No buzzwords. Just honesty.”
Humor became our bridge.
But humor grounded in technical pain, not generic jokes.
Our Creative Approach: Minimalism, honesty, and cinematic absurdity
We worked closely with Rik Ferguson, a long-respected figure in the cybersecurity community. His presence brought credibility, empathy, and the right tone: part trusted insider, part weary veteran, part... star.
Why minimalism?
Budget constraints played a role — but minimalism wasn’t a compromise. It became an intentional aesthetic choice:
- Clean, controlled environments
- Long focal lengths
- Heavy use of zoom to create tension and intimacy
- All effects shot in-camera, embracing real physicality
- No flashy VFX distracting from the message
Cybersecurity work is stressful, noisy, chaotic.
We wanted the visuals to contrast that: simple, focused, human.
Illustrating pain points with physical metaphors
Each scene exaggerated a real security frustration — alert fatigue, tool overload, constant noise — using physical comedy and practical effects.
Most things were practical… except for one standout moment.
The one 3D element: the “Noise Speakers”
For the sequence about overwhelming alert noise, we built giant 3D speakers blasting Rik with visible shockwaves. His hair flies, he screams over the static — a surreal but relatable metaphor for how loud and chaotic cybersecurity alerts can be.
This was the only digital effect in the whole film, and because everything else was physical, the contrast made it even funnier.
Execution: Multiple endings, one core voice
To support different placements and conference events, we produced three to four alternative endings, each with a different CTA:
- Booth invitation
- Session teaser
- Partner-specific CTA
- Trend Micro brand wrap-up
Same story, tailored close.
Production During COVID — Creativity under constraints
The shoot took place at the height of the COVID pandemic, which added an entirely different layer of complexity.
We had to:
- Build a tightly controlled set environment
- Limit crew interactions
- Follow strict medical protocols
- Ensure safety without slowing momentum
Minimalism again helped: fewer people on set, fewer moving parts, and a clearer creative language.
Despite the restrictions, the team operated smoothly — a credit to preparation and a bit of pandemic-era ingenuity.
Client Impact: Humor that actually works in cybersecurity
While we don’t have formal metrics from Trend Micro, the qualitative impact was clear:
- The ad grabbed attention without feeling like marketing
- It sparked internal and external positive reactions
- It became an example of how to talk to technical audiences without patronizing them
Trend Micro loved the result, and our collaboration continued, a good sign in an industry where authenticity matters more than polish.
Takeaways: Minimalism + honesty beats expensive marketing fluff
This project reinforced several principles:
- Technical audiences respond to respect, not marketing theater.
- Humor works when it’s rooted in real, lived pain points.
- Minimalism can be a strength, especially when done intentionally.
- Practical effects create authenticity that resonates with no-nonsense cybersecurity pros.
- Constraints — creative, budgetary, pandemic-related — can become an advantage when embraced thoughtfully.
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