Guardicore: The Future of Firewalls is Software

Guardicore is the segmentation company disrupting the legacy firewall market. Their software-only approach is decoupled from the physical network, providing a faster alternative to firewalls. Built for the agile enterprise, they offer greater security and visibility in the cloud, data-center and endpoint.

Their mission goes beyond creating great technology. Guardicore continuously engage with their customers as a trusted partner, ensuring they maximize the value of their security investments beyond their original goals and expectations.

Guardicore was acquired by Akamai in October of 2021.

Guardicore set out to be more aggressive in their competitive takeout campaigns against the legacy firewall market — specifically against Palo Alto Networks and Check Point Software. And part of this project was to produce high-quality, meaningful thought leadership that spoke directly to decision makers in the firewall space.

Our collaboration with Guardicore focused on a project titled “The Future of Firewalls is Software”. This campaign encapsulates Guardicore’s vision to revolutionize the security industry by moving away from traditional hardware-based firewalls and shifting towards innovative software-based microsegmentation.

The premise of the project is rooted in the evolving landscape of digital infrastructure. With the accelerating trend towards digitization, virtualization, and the cloud, the need for agile, scalable, and resilient security measures is more urgent than ever. Guardicore responded to this challenge head-on with their software-based microsegmentation solution.

The core of this project included a sponsored research report with the Ponemon Institute, an organization well known to the cybersecurity industry with IBM’s annual “Cost of a Data Breach” report.

Our project with Guardicore surveyed over 600 security professionals in the United States, about how they currently use legacy firewalls in their organization.

The ultimate goal was to begin to shift the mindset of the security industry, to “rethink” their use of legacy firewalls, to reevaluate their security posture, and to consider microsegmentation as an addition or alternative to firewalls in their organization.

To convey this message effectively, we helped devise an integrated marketing strategy that involves a mix of thought leadership content, interactive webinars, social media engagement, SEO optimization, and targeted advertising. We create a narrative that not only underscored the value of software-based firewalls but also elevated Guardicore’s unique value proposition within the fiercely competitive cybersecurity market.

At the heart of our strategy was thought leadership. This involved crafting articles, blogs, white papers, and case studies that delved into the intricacies of software-based firewalls, their advantages, and how they are the future of cybersecurity. We showcased Guardicore’s subject matter expertise and its thought leadership position in the industry. By creating a robust content library, we not only provided value to readers but also established a repository of information that bolstered Guardicore’s credibility and authority in this space.

1. Thought Leadership Content: We crafted and published a series of authoritative articles, white papers, and blog posts focusing on the shift from hardware to software-based firewalls, cybersecurity trends, and Guardicore’s innovations in the field.
2. Webinars and Virtual Events: We helped organize a number of webinars and virtual events, featuring industry experts and thought leaders, to discuss the future of firewalls and the benefits of software-based solutions.
3. Social Media Campaigns: We helped design and execute targeted social media campaigns across multiple platforms, highlighting key product features and the benefits of transitioning to software-based firewalls.
4. SEO-optimized Website: Created and maintained a dedicated campaign website that is optimized for search engines, driving organic traffic and increasing visibility for Guardicore and its offerings.
5. Email Marketing: Helped the team conduct email marketing campaigns with tailored content for different segments of Guardicore’s target audience, ensuring the message reaches the right people at the right time.
6. Paid Advertising: Helped launch a series of targeted online ads on various platforms, including Google Ads and LinkedIn, to reach a wider audience and generate leads.
7. PR and Media Outreach: We helped liaised with key media outlets and influencers in the tech industry for features, interviews, and stories about Guardicore’s pioneering work.
8. Sales Collateral: Content was used to produce sales sheets, brochures, and presentations for the Guardicore sales team, enabling them to effectively communicate the advantages of software-based firewalls to prospective clients.
9. Performance Metrics and Reports: Tracked, measured, and helped provide detailed reports on campaign performance against established KPIs, making data-informed adjustments to our strategy as needed.

Each of these deliverables was meticulously crafted to fit within the overarching narrative of the project, reinforcing the message that the future of firewalls is indeed, software.