Establishing a Global Payments Brand as a Security Leader

Early in 2015, the payments industry was at a crossroads. Major changes were coming later in the year that would impact how consumers made point of sale purchases, and these changes faced opposition from a wide range of detractors.

At the same time, our client was rolling out a series of new products and services to enhance customer experience and security. Our team was enlisted to help this major electronic payments brand successfully navigate the challenge and position them as a security thought leader.

The Solution

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Proactive Positioning

In this environment, our client wanted to focus attention on the security of new products to position the impending change as a step forward and highlight the company’s broader commitment to security. We established the company’s leadership in cybersecurity by engaging traditional and social media through the use of infographics, animations and other tactics to educate the public, leverage the product launches and highlight the data security innovations. These efforts allowed the company to establish a steady drumbeat of credibility on the issue of cybersecurity, especially at a time when large data breaches were receiving heightened levels of attention.

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Identifying Thought Leadership Opportunities

Our team identified speaking opportunities nationally and inside the beltway to enhance relationships with policymakers, reporters and other influencers. By speaking to the company’s longstanding commitment to both innovation and security, these opportunities elevated the corporate profile on key issues and also positioned key executives as thought leaders in the industry.

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Setting the Industry Standard

In a world where it’s not if, but when an organization will be the target of a cybersecurity attack, developing a strategy for promoting security practices and products requires careful consideration. Whether it is concerns about putting a target on your back for hackers, opening yourself up to liability or accidentally wading into a controversy over privacy – when, where and how you insert your opinion into the fray can be the difference between improving your reputation and opening Pandora’s Box. By proactively positioning itself with policymakers, consumers and the general public, our client was able to assuage fears over the payments shift while establishing itself as a leader in security.