Was that spinning head a mistake—or the entire level?
When McAfee dropped a brand new digital advert exhibiting a girl lounging on a seaside, solely to have her head rotate a full 360 levels, the web lit up. Some viewers thought it was a post-production error. Others assumed it was a bizarre deepfake gone incorrect. And whereas just a few sharp-eyed commentators caught the joke instantly, most had been left questioning: was this sensible advertising and marketing or an entire fail?
Spoiler: it was on objective.
AI on Goal
You will have seen the advert—the calm seaside scene, the informal vibe, after which, the absolutely rotating head. Reactions ranged from confused to amused, with a handful of eager observers nodding in understanding.
We didn’t mess up.
With the assistance of our artistic company VSA, we developed a sequence of digital adverts utilizing generative AI to blur the road between actual and surreal. The purpose? To make a much bigger level: AI is now able to mimicking actuality in delicate, intelligent methods which are more and more laborious to detect. That’s precisely why instruments like McAfee’s Rip-off Detector matter greater than ever.
“Whereas the adverts are clearly AI, the implication is that AI isn’t at all times really easy to identify,” mentioned Anne-Marie Rosser, CEO of VSA. “It’s humorous, and it creates empathy for the person since we’re all prone.”
And don’t fear—we didn’t hand all the pieces over to the machines. McAfee and VSA’s full artistic and design groups had been instrumental in shaping each element, from idea to execution. The AI was a instrument. The imaginative and prescient got here from actual individuals.
These artistic decisions mirror our philosophy at McAfee: take cybersecurity significantly, however don’t at all times take your self too significantly. Humor has the facility to interrupt by way of worry and disgrace—and finally, assist individuals defend themselves higher.
Rip-off Tales, Actual Folks
Alongside these eye-catching adverts, we’re launching Rip-off Tales, a social marketing campaign constructed round actual voices. From live performance ticket scams to spoofed customer support texts, individuals throughout the nation are sharing their experiences utilizing #KeepItReal and #MyScamStory—and we’re listening.
A few of these people, like actor Chris Carmack (of Gray’s Anatomy and The O.C.), have joined our marketing campaign to share their very own moments of being duped. Others, like cyber scholar Henry or life coach Cory, are serving to us educate others by turning private ache into public empowerment.
Partnering for Influence
This marketing campaign isn’t nearly consciousness—it’s about motion. That’s why we’ve partnered with FightCybercrime.org, a nonprofit that helps individuals acknowledge, report, and get well from scams. We’re donating $50,000 value of McAfee safety to individuals in FightCybercrime packages and to the volunteers who assist them.
We’re additionally teaming as much as increase training efforts by way of our On-line Security for Children initiative—as a result of constructing a safer web begins early.
What’s Subsequent
Scammers depend on silence, disgrace, and velocity. However after we decelerate, converse up, and share our tales, we take away their energy.
The Preserve It Actual marketing campaign is greater than only a product launch. It’s a motion to cease the stigma round scams, assist individuals defend their peace of thoughts, and remind you: if it may possibly occur to Chris Carmack, it may possibly occur to anybody.
