"Cyber" reflects a multitude of infrastructural, product- or security-related systems. In principle, this makes it even more incomprehensible than the general fact of "digitalisation", in which Germany is either totally and completely or only halfway behind, depending on how you read it. For the most part, the current coalition agreement still talks about cyber war or cyberbullying - unquestionably important topics. But that is as far as it goes. After all, it is not only since the beginning of the war in Ukraine that we read in the news about cyber attacks, cyber dangers, and a cyber security that is demanded everywhere and violated in various places with drastic consequences.
For the average consumer, the topic of "cyber" only becomes important when there is no more money at the ATM, the drugstore remains closed because of a cash register failure, or pictures of one's own children are abusively posted and shared on the Internet. A few weeks ago, I saw a report on a private channel in which a company spokesperson for a security software company said that they didn't want strangers to find tax records on hard drives that hadn't been deleted if, for example, the PC was somehow passed on. Of course, he is right, but the reasoning was missing. Why does "one" not want that? What are the dangers? What could happen in the worst case?
A missed opportunity in communication, the story would have gained a lot in drama. But maybe the speaker said it and the broadcaster just didn't broadcast it. That would be even worse. Here, the audience is then only trusted to understand the action statement, the reasons ... never mind. In communication, it is therefore important to emphasise the further product benefits: The focus is not on the security of data deletion, but on the security that no one can use the data to commit this or that crime or otherwise cause harm.
Cyber as a whole goes much further, it is a highly complex area with highly diverse dialogue groups that want to be specifically served. For example, many companies and organisations at the moment certainly wish they had invested some time and a manageable amount of money for once. They have become victims ofcyber attacks. The signs were visible, the dangers known, the protection solutions and the possibilities of risk transfer available in the market. But the eight hours to take out a suitable cyber insurance policy were missing. Now, for example, production is at a standstill, almost 1,000 employees have nothing to do for a fortnight and the company is on the brink of the abyss. Is the danger now sitting in front of the screen - one wrong click is enough, as we all know - or is it a technical gap that led straight to the catastrophe? Here, too, a lot of educational work needs to be done so that those who are responsible realise that responsibility falls within their sphere.
Whether software, insurance or technical solutions: Companies that want to be heard and seen with their services and products in the long term should take one basic rule of communication into account: Repetition is the key! Repetition is the key!
It is exactly the same in cyber communication. Continuous reporting is necessary to create demand across the board and to show ways of meeting it. Even if some of the content is repeated, it does not change the importance or the explosiveness. The repetitions may remind us of the time changeover in summer and winter: There is always a person with a big clock in his arm looking into the camera and pointing with one finger that it is going from two to three or vice versa. The media have been doing this - it seems - since the introduction of the time changeover. And yet, there are always people who hear about it for the very first time.
It is the same with "cyber". Only with a clear communication strategy can changes be achieved in people that lead to positive action:
Despite all the digitality and cyber ways in communication, press relations in all its facets is still an important component of such tactics. The facets or individual measures cannot be covered by modern tools such as those that catch your eye on the common business network portals - I, for one, have never heard of an app that makes several phone calls to an editor of an industry-specific Tier 1 medium to arouse interest in a topic, dispel scepticism and finally place it after all...
Improving the positioning and image of players in the cyber market is the main task of monoceros PR's cyber unit. We understand how to address the specific target groups, lend an ear to the market, find out and create reporting occasions and have the best contacts to the relevant editorial offices. Because: Without awareness, there is no action on the part of your target groups - you take care of your business, we bring your topics to the right media. And if the child does fall into the cyber well: even then we are there for you and your target groups with first-class crisis communication!
monoceros is a strategic communications agency based in Berlin. We develop customized, target-oriented PR campaigns for digital disrupters, startups and tech giants. The basis for our outstanding results: Over ten years of PR experience on the corporate and agency side and the motivation to establish an agency with the highest standards. On our monoceros blog we regularly highlight essential topics of our PR work and report on the latest developments from the digital economy.
