• by Tameka Kee , January 16, 2008

If you've ever wondered what a computer virus or Trojan really looks like, MessageLabs has the answer. They're spindly, spiny and oddly beautiful--at least that's how they appear in mug shots in the data and email security provider's new ad campaign.

MessageLabs tapped London-based Rapier to helm the campaign, which uses images from digital artist Alex Dragulescu to bring 15 online demons like SPAM, spyware, viruses and phishing attacks to life. Called "threat art," Dragulescu created the 3-D visuals by using a sample of code from each malicious program, running it through his proprietary software and adding artistic touches like color and shadowing. The resulting images bring concreteness to threats that often seem unreal to users until their computer is infected.

"Computer security companies wrestle with coming up with a good ad campaign, because you can't see threats," said Jos White, CMO and co-founder of MessageLabs. "And whenever anyone has tried to depict them, it's been very dull, like a picture of a PC or server, or a clichéd shot of someone frowning at their monitor. We went with the visual angle because we thought it would be more compelling."

New York and London-based MessageLabs collaborated with Rapier for over four months on the campaign development, the first part of which will feature print and digital ads that run for about ten weeks. Although banner ads will be the main channel for online, White said that the company may roll out downloadable screensavers and a set of videos on YouTube that spotlight Dragulescu's creative process.

The second wave of the campaign will focus on localized lead-generation efforts, including direct mail and sponsored events. "We're looking at doing an Expo complete with threat security experts talking about the industry landscape," White said, "but we're also planning events that focus on the images themselves, and allow the artist to talk about how he created them."