"Security awareness IS marketing" – Sara Carty on Being Unboring
This week on The Awareness Angle Interviews… Anthony sits down with Sara Carty, the founder of UNBORING, to explore why so much cybersecurity marketing feels stale—and what we can do to change it. From drama school to startup life, Sara’s journey is anything but conventional, and her marketing approach is bold, honest, and refreshingly human.
🎭 From Drama to Data Breaches – Sara shares how her background in performance gave her the confidence to challenge industry norms and connect with audiences in a real way.
📉 Ditching Fear-Based Marketing – Scare tactics are out. Sara explains why trust, clarity, and relevance are far more powerful than doom and gloom.
🧠 Tech Doesn’t Have to Be Boring – We talk about the balance between getting the technical details right and actually engaging the people who matter.
📣 Marketing is Storytelling – Great cybersecurity campaigns aren’t about features—they’re about people. Sara explains how to make messages stick.
🚫 No More Blaming the Audience – If people aren’t listening, maybe the message is the problem. We unpack how to create content that meets users where they are.
🎨 The Human Behind the Hack – Good marketing understands human risk. Sara shares how empathy and creativity build stronger campaigns (and cultures).
🧩 Insights from the Marketing Team – From product design to user adoption, marketing can be a strategic partner—not just the team that “makes it pretty.”
🗣️ Why UNBORING Matters – Whether it’s refusing to use AI-generated content or calling out jargon-filled nonsense, Sara’s mission is clear: make cybersecurity feel human again.
If you’ve ever zoned out during a “cyber comms campaign” or wondered how to make people actually care about security—this conversation is for you.
🕒 *Timestamps*
*Introduction & Mission*
00:00 Introduction to Unboring and Its Mission
06:10 The Impact of Drama School on Professional Skills
*Marketing & Messaging*
11:49 The Importance of Marketing in Cybersecurity
18:09 Standing Out in a Sea of Sameness
23:53 The Future of Cybersecurity Marketing
28:02 The Role of Women in Cybersecurity Awareness
31:46 Touch Points in Marketing and Engagement
34:58 The Role of Storytelling in Marketing and Cybersecurity
35:56 Communicating with Human Touch
37:06 The Disconnect Between Marketing and Cybersecurity
*Human Element & Awareness*
38:03 The Impact of Social Engineering on Cybersecurity
39:00 The Role of AI in Marketing and Cybersecurity
40:07 The Importance of Relatable Communication
40:57 The Human Element in Cybersecurity Awareness
41:58 The Disconnect in Cybersecurity Messaging
42:57 The Importance of Engagement in Cybersecurity
43:54 The Need for Top-Down Support in Cybersecurity Awareness
*Espionage & Storytelling*
45:03 Exploring Cyber Espionage and Marketing
46:00 Lessons from Espionage for Marketers
47:12 The Connection Between Storytelling and Marketing
47:51 The Role of Human Stories in Marketing
49:03 The Importance of Understanding Audience Needs
50:08 The Need for Authentic Marketing
50:57 Storytelling Lessons from Popular Culture
52:45 The Power of Relatable Storytelling
*Trends & Takeaways*
55:21 Tech vs. Human Connection in Cybersecurity
01:00:42 Marketing Buzzwords to Ban
01:02:28 Admiring Innovative Marketing Campaigns
01:05:44 The Importance of Storytelling in Communication
💬 Check Out This Episode's Discussion Points
📧 [email protected]
🔗 riskycreative.com
🎵 Our Intro & Outro Song (© 16! by falling forever)
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Awareness Angle: Cyber News Simplified
The Awareness Angle makes cybersecurity simple. Hosted by Anthony and Luke, we break down security awareness stories, from phishing scams to data breaches, and share practical tips to keep colleagues and employees safe online. We focus on tackling human risk, building a security culture, and making security easy to understand. Whether you’re new to security awareness or want fresh ideas, join us for relatable advice, real-world examples, and strategies to protect your data and stay ahead of cyber threats. Watch us in full on YouTube. New episodes are available every Monday morning.
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