The Urgent Need to Win Over a New Generation
McAfee's Bold Rebrand for a New Generation
By 2024, McAfee had an aging customer base, consumer interest in antivirus was down 25%, and competitors were gaining ground. The brand needed to show a younger generation that McAfee+ protects their whole digital life, not just their devices.
With Alli, PMG defined this audience, "the Protectors," from how they actually behave online. The "McAfee+ is Like…" campaign used simple analogies, like a lie detector for scam protection, across streaming, social, and audio, and Alli Creative Insights scored each version during the eight-week run.
Daily visitors to McAfee.com rose 7.5x, new customers grew 5%, trust increased 9%, and units sold beat plan by 25%.
By 2024, McAfee faced a critical moment in its brand evolution. Traditionally known as a leader in antivirus protection, the brand needed to redefine itself as consumer interest in traditional antivirus solutions dropped 25% year-over-year. With an aging customer base and a 10% decrease in branded search traffic, McAfee's focus on conversion tactics had allowed competitors like Norton and Norton VPN to gain ground. The challenge was clear: McAfee needed to appeal to a younger, tech-savvy audience, those we identified as the Protectors. These consumers weren't just looking to protect their devices; they were focused on safeguarding their entire digital lives, including their families. McAfee partnered with PMG and Anomaly to launch the "McAfee+ is Like…" campaign, aimed at repositioning the brand for a new generation.
Turning Complex Protection into Everyday Understanding
The campaign's goal was to clearly communicate that McAfee+ offers comprehensive digital protection. We would use creative analogies to make complex features relatable, like illustrating scam protection with a lie detector test and VPN benefits with the concept of invisibility.
Recognizing that the Protectors are digital natives, PMG adopted a fully digital media strategy, designing the campaign to meet this audience on social and streaming platforms while ensuring the messaging felt authentic and engaging. To meet the Protectors on the social and streaming platforms they already use, the team grounded the plan in Alli, PMG's operating system. Alli Audience Planner built personas of the Protectors, the tech-savvy digital natives McAfee needed to win, which pointed the plan toward the social, streaming, and podcast channels where they already spend their time. PMG combined that intelligence with creative storytelling and precise digital targeting to reposition McAfee's image as a comprehensive cybersecurity leader.
Bringing Cybersecurity to Life Across Every Screen
Timed with the post-holiday surge in new device purchases, McAfee and PMG launched a multi-channel campaign designed to simplify cybersecurity and reestablish brand relevance. Creative analogies, such as a lie detector test for scam protection and invisibility for VPNs, made McAfee+ features accessible and memorable.
The media mix reached "Protectors" across Connected TV, online video, social media, streaming audio, and podcasts. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook were crucial for engaging the Protectors. We tailored the content to each platform, using short, impactful formats like Reels and Story Ads. Influencers played a significant role in amplifying the campaign's reach with authentic, relatable content. Audio and podcast placements connected with audiences during commutes and downtime.
For eight weeks, Alli gave the team one live view across every channel. It showed which creative analogies were landing and which audience segments were converting. Alli Creative Insights scored each version of the "McAfee+ is Like…" creative against real performance signals, so the mix got sharper as the campaign ran. Planners questioned the data through Ask Alli, and continuous refinement with curated audience segments, lookalike modeling, and suppression tactics kept spend on high-value prospects.
The campaign didn't just hit its goals, it boosted brand perception and drove big business results.
1.8B Campaign impressions 7.5X Increase in Daily Visitors 5% Increase in New Customers 9% Lift in Trust
The 2024 "McAfee+ is Like…" campaign achieved outstanding results, significantly enhancing brand perception and driving substantial business growth.
The campaign generated a significant increase in traffic to McAfee.com compared to a brand campaign in the prior year, with daily visitors jumping 7.5X. This surge in traffic was pivotal in expanding McAfee's customer base, leading to a 5% year-over-year increase in new customers acquired.
In terms of brand engagement, the campaign delivered 1.8 billion impressions, doubling the previous year's viewership and significantly boosting McAfee's visibility in the market. Alli Brand Equity tied brand and business signals together in real time, giving the team continuous visibility into how the rebrand was moving trust and consideration among the Protectors. The campaign drove a 9% lift in trust and a 5% increase in the perception that McAfee offers comprehensive protection for digital activities.
Sales performance was equally impressive, with cart visits exceeding forecasts by 13%. The momentum in promoting McAfee+ Advanced and Ultimate continued, with these premium offerings accounting for 28% of total transactions. McAfee exceeded its sales targets, with units sold above plan by 25%. Additionally, the average selling price of McAfee products increased by 19% year-over-year, driven by the success of these higher-priced solutions.
The campaign not only met but exceeded its goals, reinforcing McAfee's leadership in the cybersecurity industry. By effectively connecting with a younger, tech-savvy audience through creative storytelling and real-time intelligence from Alli, the campaign laid the groundwork for sustained growth, further solidifying McAfee's market position.
