CISCO UMBRELLA
A new game plan for connecting with cybersecurity experts■
SHOWCASING ROBUST THREAT INTELLIGENCE WITH AN IMMERSIVE GAMING EXPERIENCE
Cloud security leader and networking giant Cisco was looking for an unexpected way to provide cybersecurity experts access to its rich cache of threat intelligence resources. With the earliest viruses now dating back decades, we thought it’d be fun – and captivating – to tap into that old-school feeling with a one-of-a-kind digital experience, where users can hunt down threats in a retro desktop adventure game.
SCOPE
- CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
- GAME STRATEGY
- UI/UX
- DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION
- CONTENT CREATION
- DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMING
A GROWING ADVENTURE
ThreatBusters was made to be explored – users have a host of rooms and levels to discover, interacting with in-depth threat intelligence content as they go. But that’s just the beginning. Just as threats continue to grow and evolve, so can the game: Flexible templates allow for easy additions and updates.
- Home screen
- Game levels
- Content pages
INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING
As they work their way through their journey, users test – and build – their cybersecurity knowledge, answering quizzes and questions to earn points and gain access to new portals within the game. The experience is totally in their hands – with a variety of paths and rooms, users can truly choose their own adventure.
GETTING THE 4-1-1 ON ATTACKS
As users progress further into the game, they unlock an even deeper look at what they’re up against. In-depth briefings provide detailed info on specific attacks, with off-site links to learn even more about these threats – and how Cisco can help.
SCORING REPEAT VISITORS
There’s a lot to explore in ThreatBusters – to inspire people to find every secret, answer every question, and fully build their knowledge, we introduced a game-wide scoreboard where users can see how they stack up. And, with new content going up all the time, the scoreboard ensures competitive users will keep coming back.
YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT
To get the word out about ThreatBusters to key members of our target audience, we devised a direct mail piece where readers could use classic PC game elements to decode a hidden message introducing them to the game.
Insights■
Professionalism and personality don’t have to be at odds with each other.
You take your work, your product, and your customers seriously. But that doesn’t mean you always have to take yourself that seriously. It’s OK to inject a little fun, surprise, and uniqueness into your brand – in fact, it can help you build a more personal connection with your audience.
Gamified content is engaging content.
Dressing up your content as part of a game or other interactive experience can take everyday tasks like reading a white paper or learning about a product and make them feel special, so users connect with them on a deeper level. When users want to keep playing, they’re more likely to learn more – and more likely to retain that information.
Play the long game.
It’s not enough to make a good first impression – when you’re working with a long sales funnel, you want to create an ongoing impression, with multiple touchpoints at each step of the customer journey. Keep bringing users back, keep reminding them of who you are, so when they are ready to buy, you’ll be top of mind.
