iDefense was a start-up that almost failed, and came to define a market.

The company was years ahead of the market. We helped shape how the industry thought about cyber intelligence and cyber-crime – back when most people thought ‘security’ meant anti-virus software.

Our job: To create demand among early adopters. And build the brand, momentum, and value to make iDefense a high-value acquisition. We did both – with more than 1,000 pieces of coverage in the first year, and an acquisition by VeriSign at 7X return after just three years.

It began with a strategic approach to the media. We were aggressive – getting out ahead of stories – mailing ready-to-use quotes to 250 reporters worldwide. We also got personal – targeting a dozen reporters we cared about, and inviting them inside to see how security threats are uncovered.

Results

Worldwide visibility with dozens of stories in Forbes, The New York Times, the Washington Post, trade press and all the right blogs.

Post-Acquisition

Five plus years post acquisition, the iDefense brand is still the anchor for VeriSign’s security intelligence business. And we still work with the team.