What does a little known in this country software company have to do to break into the highly competitive online security market when their major competitors are multi-billion dollar software purveyors, Symantec and MacAfee? They look for ways to tap into new markets as a means for developing their brand and product interest. Kaspersky Lab is just the company to make the kind of splash needed to hold their own in a saturated market. Long considered an insider’s company to watch, word of mouth on this company is now spreading throughout the entire internet community. Nobody, including the big guys, fights internet predators in the way that Kaspersky Lab’s Anti Virus and Internet Security do.

One of the most exciting product launches in the past few years has to be the 7.0 version of award winning Kaspersky Anti-Virus and Kaspersky Internet Security. Kaspersky Lab has developed one of the most powerful Anti Virus programs available today. While most programs require you to initiate the scan, Kaspersky Lab’s software actually detects potential threats before they enters your computer, blocks them and continues updating hourly. This is a company that looks outside of tradition; they strive to develop the needed solution before the problem begins.

Version 7.0 builds on the foundation of Kaspersky’s award-winning version 6.0 antivirus engine, which earned the worldwide recognition of both advanced IT users and millions of consumers. Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0 includes premium-level protection against viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware, adware, rootkits and keyloggers. Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 offers all this and additional protection against phishing and spam, the integration of a sophisticated firewall, plus privacy and parental controls.

Kaspersky is generating buzz with this product launch by staggering it into two months and involving consumers in the process. The initial phase kicked off on August 1st online, at Best Buy stores and with a contest on YouTube. The second phase will go live on September 1st in all other retail outlets with some smaller scale promotions. By taking this launch two steps further than the usual, there will be a tremendous pay off in revenue boosts for the company two months in a row instead of just one.

One of the most innovative ideas to come out of this launch is manner in which Kaspersky Lab partnered with YouTube to develop a video creation contest for buyers. There is an entirely open slate for contestants to show the creative ways in which Kaspersky Lab products have become a part of their life. Much more fun than the usual contests – this allows customers to use their creativity and really show the company who is buying Kaspersky lab products. What’s more, this angle of marketing allows Kaspersky lab to tap into a previously unsought after but highly lucrative market – that media magnet; the 18-34 group. This is the group most likely to feel disenfranchised by the big name security companies and also most likely to really invest in their PC due to the major role it plays in their lives.

Companies looking to break into the security software market will be able to look at the marketing model of Kaspersky Lab for many years to come. It is not easy to find and grow a viable niche in this concentrated sector of the internet but with ingenuity and creative insight Kaspersky Lab has done just that.

Hilary Johnson
Senior Analyst
Affiliate Marketing