The Awareness Angle: Cyber News Weekly

"Security awareness IS marketing" – Sara Carty on Being Unboring


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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 


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The Awareness Angle: Cyber News WeeklyBy Risky Creative