Financial losses from fraud attacks in Russia are rising year by year. In 2025 alone, Russians lost up to 295 billion rubles* through such schemes. Consequently, security has become a critical priority for the public, particularly when choosing a bank for day-to-day financial needs. Sberbank holds the largest customer base—nearly 108 million people. As a result, it is the most frequently targeted bank, making it especially important for the institution to be perceived as the safest in the sector. Effective internal anti-fraud systems and a wide range of free fraud-prevention services proved insufficient on their own. Most incidents occur when clients voluntarily hand over their data and funds to fraudsters, thereby violating digital hygiene practices and failing to utilize the bank’s protective tools—such as caller ID, antivirus software, and the option to have a trusted contact confirm transactions. A significant portion of Sber’s cybersecurity communications aims to persuade the audience to use the bank’s available anti-fraud tools and to educate them on basic security practices. Until then, Sber had not promoted its cybersecurity offerings through mass-reach channels, ceding the spotlight to competitors who had successfully communicated the importance of security in an engaging, accessible way—thereby cultivating a "security-conscious" image. It was essential to rectify this and rapidly expand the user base for Sber’s security services in order to safeguard client funds. * Sberbank study, 2025.
Problem
To overcome the audience's skepticism regarding their own cyber-vulnerability, we needed to cut through the negative noise. This meant presenting the topic in an accessible way—engaging the audience while simultaneously educating them. Our research showed that the risk of falling victim to fraud is 81% lower when the bank’s security services are activated; this also reduces the financial impact of any attacks. Consequently, the cybersecurity services developed by Sber had to be the focal point of our campaign—serving as both the ultimate communication goal and the solution to customers' security concerns. Every element of the campaign drove the audience toward one crucial action: activating Sber’s protection features.
Solution
We transformed cybersecurity from a topic people avoid into content they are eager to watch, discuss, and act upon. We identified a distinct, culturally resonant language for each channel and then converted the resulting interest into service subscriptions. We began with the channel offering the widest reach by launching a TV spot centered on an emotional concept that resonates with everyone through a shared cultural touchstone: fairy tales. To explain the importance of cybersecurity, we presented the services through the well-known tale of Nightingale the Robber, recounted by a father to his son. In doing so, cybersecurity rules were framed as simple, fundamental concepts that even a child could grasp. Out-of-home and digital advertising maintained visibility and boosted awareness of the cybersecurity services; combined with radio spots, they ensured the frequent delivery of a simple message about protection. Bloggers helped explain scam tactics organically and with a touch of irony, while on social media, we showcased the benefits of cybersecurity services using familiar memes rather than alarming examples. This shifted the information from the realm of threats to something engaging and interesting. In the final stage of the campaign, the bank’s own channels—the app and notifications—were brought into play. They helped convert campaign reach into actual service activations and in-app navigation.
Results
Our campaign generated over 1.1 billion ad impressions, reaching 110 million people—representing 97% of the Russian adult population—and exceeding the target by 23%. Thanks to a native strategy for creative development and placement, we met all targets for the adoption of the bank’s cybersecurity services: • +527,000 incremental service activations; • +2.5 million service MAU in December (125% of the target). This figure is 4.3 times higher than the baseline period (without promotional activity). Even after the campaign ended, activation rates remained 53–74% above the baseline for another three months. In December 2025, Sber retained the top spot for protecting customer funds against fraud, scoring 60%—a lead of 19 percentage points over its nearest competitor. Most importantly, with the help of connected cybersecurity services, we helped protect nearly 1.9 billion rubles of bank clients' funds.
