What Security Brands got Wrong (and Right) at ISC West 2025

I walked the floor at ISC West this year armed with two things: comfortable shoes and curiosity. And after hours of weaving through booth after booth, I can say with confidence that the security industry doesn’t have a technology problem—it has a messaging problem.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s innovation everywhere. AI, cloud, analytics, edge processing—everyone’s got something cutting-edge to show off.

But if you’re not saying something people can remember three booths later, you’re just noise with a lighting rig.

Here’s what I noticed, what it means, and how to do better.

1. Everyone’s selling “cloud”—no one’s selling clarity

Almost every booth I walked by had some version of the word “cloud” on their backdrop. Cloud-based platform. Hybrid cloud. Cloud-enabled video. Cloud-first analytics.

“Manage from the cloud. Protect what’s below.”

“A Hybrid, Happy Path to Cloud”

“Remote services made easy. Cloud-based Partner Portal”

And yet, when I asked people what made their solution different, most responses boiled down to: “Well, it’s easier to manage remotely.”

Okay—but why does that matter to me?

➜ What pain does it solve?

➜ What’s different about your version of cloud?

➜ What can I do now that I couldn’t before?

Most booths fell into the trap of marketing jargon instead of outcomes. But the strongest brands know that the tech stack is just a means to an end.

Tip: Don’t just tell me it’s in the cloud. Tell me what I can stop worrying about because of it. Maybe if I understand that I will be more willing to fight with IT about how a cloud solution is worth the risks.

2. “Smart” is marketing shorthand for “we didn’t try”

*Actual signage at ISC West

I lost count of how many companies used some variation of “Smarter Security” as their core message.

Rhombus had it with “Smarter Security. Better Business” as their tagline.

Others hinted at it with AI-this and intelligent-that.

On its own, “smart” doesn’t carry weight anymore. It’s the beige paint color of messaging—inoffensive, overused, and utterly forgettable.

I asked one booth rep what made their platform “smart,” and the answer was: “It has facial recognition and analytics.”

Cool story. So does everyone else.

Now contrast that with Pelco’s “Supercharge your security.” That tagline immediately taps into emotion. It’s not about being slightly better—it’s about becoming powerful. And in an industry where end users often see themselves as the last line of defense, that kind of framing lands (but more on that later).

Tip: The word “smart” is a shortcut. Replace it with a specific benefit, emotional payoff, or vivid metaphor that actually differentiates.

3. Seeing tech isn’t the same as experiencing it

One of the most insightful conversations I had at the show was with an integrator who told me they come to ISC not just to network—but to see new tech they haven’t had access to. And yet? After a few hours on the floor, everything blurred.

And they weren’t wrong.

Most booths were stacked with products—screens, cameras, mounts, racks—but after the fifth or sixth version of “next-gen analytics,” it all started to blur.

Another camera. Another sensor. Another black box with a blinking light.

But then there was Verkada.

Verkada didn’t just show their product—they built a world around it. A full-blown escape room where visitors had to use the technology to solve problems. Want to open this door? Use access control. Want to leave the room? Figure out the motion path using their analytics. Each step embedded a feature into the narrative.

It wasn’t just a booth. It was a storyline. And suddenly, the features had context.

You weren’t watching a demo. You were part of it.

Why did it work? Because experience builds memory.
When someone interacts with your product—even briefly—they move further down the buying journey without even realizing it.

They're not just learning—they're living it.

Meanwhile, most other booths went the “show and soak” route:
Big logos, big screens, maybe a looping video if you stood in the right spot.

But there was no tension. No decision-making. No stakes.

Imagine this instead:

• A “data breach” challenge where visitors race to lock down a system.

• An analytics tool that walks you through a day in the life of a campus operator.

• A game where you try to spot suspicious activity using real footage.

Tip

Display tells.
Experience sells.
If your tech is actually good, let people use it—even in a small, gamified, low-stakes way. It’ll do more for your pipeline than another looping highlight reel.

Side note

Don’t come at me about the Theraguns and AirPods.

Yes, I saw them. Yes, I have opinions.

There’s a part of me (the part that didn’t win anything) that knows it was over-the-top, wildly unattainable for most companies, and honestly deserving of a solid eyeroll.

But the other part? Thinks if you’ve got it $200M to burn, you might as well flaunt it.

Just don’t confuse prize envy with brand loyalty. One gets your badge scanned. The other gets you remembered.

4. The superhero complex is real—market to it

Security professionals aren’t just buying software. They’re buying the ability to see more, know more, and respond faster. They’re buying peace of mind for someone else—and responsibility for themselves.

That’s heavy.

It’s why messaging like “Supercharge your security” works so well.

It doesn’t sell a product—it sells a transformation:

You, but upgraded.

You, but with tools that make you the hero in the moment that matters.

Most brands missed this completely.

They listed features, showed screenshots, and recited acronyms.

But no one wants to be sold a dropdown menu. They want to be sold control: power. speed. certainty.

Tip: Don’t just show what your product does. Show how it turns the user into the person everyone relies on when things go sideways.

5. Toss the word salad

Two of the most eye-roll inspiring taglines I saw at ISC West were:

➜ “When compromise is not an option, theres Genetec”

➜ “When failure is not an option, discover the power of truth.”

You know it’s bad when two different companies independently come up with the same vague word salad.

They sound profound until you realize they could be promoting anything from a VPN to a documentary to a new flavor of Gatorade.

Here’s the thing: generic “strength” statements don’t build trust. They confuse people. They tell me nothing about what you actually do, how it works, or why I should care.

Specific, product-driven outcomes? Those do the heavy lifting.

Let’s quickly run through some rewrites.

Instead of “When failure is not an option, discover the power of truth,” try:

“Know more. React faster. Fail less.”

This keeps the original message—that failure isn’t an option—but makes it clear how the product helps prevent failure.

You’re not just being told to trust it.

You’re being shown what it helps you do.

“Because ‘good enough’ gets breached.”

Direct and emotionally charged. It’s a warning—and a positioning statement.

It puts the risk front and center.

If you’re settling for a system that’s just “fine,” you’re opening yourself up to failure.

It makes the cost of doing nothing or not using their product feel real.

“Built for the paranoid. Trusted by the prepared.”

This builds credibility and taps into identity.

If you’re the kind of person who double-checks locks or reads the fine print, this product is speaking your language. It targets people who take their job seriously—and a subtle challenge to those who don’t.

Which one would you choose?

Tip: If your tagline could be used by a gym, law firm, or luxury car brand, start over. Anchor it in something only you can claim.

6. Most brands are afraid to be remembered

Here’s the thing: professionalism is not the same as predictability.
And yet, most booths played it painfully safe.

Corporate blue. Stacked monitors. A tagline that sounds like it was workshopped by a compliance team. There’s an unspoken rule in this industry that you can either be taken seriously or take risks—but never both.

That’s false.

The booths that stood out? They took risks. They were weird. Or clever. Or just... human. One had a cheeky tagline. Another handed out swag that actually got used. Verkada built an escape room.

IPConfigure had some weird posters with half camera half animals.

IPConfigure booth posters at ISC West 2025

A little weirdness goes a long way when everything else is grayscale and gradients.

This made me stop and read the text. It was just bizarre enough to need more context.

It also left an impression and was memorable.

I respect the creativity. Kudos to their marketing team.

Playing it safe might keep you off someone’s “what were they thinking” list.
But it’ll also keep you off their radar.

Tip: Don’t aim to be “professional.” Aim to be unforgettable. You can do both.

So, what should you do instead?

If you want your next trade show—or campaign, or rebrand—to actually land, here’s your cheat sheet:

Focus on outcomes, not buzzwords.

Don’t just say your product is “smart”—say what it notices, solves, or prevents.

Speak to the hero.

Security pros aren’t just buyers—they’re the ones keeping things from going sideways. Position them as the superhero. Your product is the utility belt.

Cut the corporate fluff.

Lose the vague motivational one-liners. Say one thing only you can say. Be clear, not clever-for-clever’s-sake.

Don’t be afraid to be weird.

You don’t need to be loud. You need to be specific. Human. Strategic. Even playful. Especially in an industry that takes itself very seriously.

The bottom line…

Your booth doesn’t have to scream. It just has to make people feel something.

If you're willing to be honest, take creative risks, and treat your buyers like humans—not job titles—you’ll already be ahead of 80% of the floor.

And when your competitors start echoing your brand voice six months later?

That’s good marketing.

The Security Industry Is Missing Something—And It’s Not More Features

ISC West is the Super Bowl of security conferences—if the Super Bowl had more fluorescent lighting, fewer snacks, and way more signage shouting things like “AI-Powered Threat Detection” in 400-point font.

It was loud. But not just in volume—loud in that way where everything is trying to out-tech, out-flash, and out-keyword each other. And yet... it all felt kind of the same.

Same color palettes. Same jargon. Same blue techy stock photos…

The signage, the messaging, the branding—even the people. After a while, you could swap logos between booths and no one would notice. Not because they weren’t trying—just because they were all trying the exact same way.

Actual signage from ISC West 2025 — not trying to roast anyone, just making a point.

And the whole time, I kept coming back to my favorite question:
What’s missing?

That’s the lens I bring to just about everything—as a marketer, a strategist, and someone who never grew out of her “but why” phase.

What’s not being said?
Who’s not being seen?
How could this be more thoughtful, more effective, more… human?

Because for all the bold taglines and “future-proof” promises, what I didn’t see—or feel—was any real recognition of the humans this tech is supposed to protect. Or any sense of unique brand personality (with the exception of The Boring Lab’s little corner in the Milestone System booth, obviously).

The messaging was loud. But it wasn’t really saying anything.

I mean, “Discover The Power of Truth”… someone please tell me what that means.

I couldn’t help but wonder: what’s contributing to all of this sameness and what would lend it a fresh perspective?

I landed on diversity, and specifically women.

It’s Not About Softer Messaging. It’s About more human Framing.

There’s actual behavioral science behind this.

Studies show that women in professional and technical fields tend to use more relational, people-centered language—language that focuses on outcomes, empathy, and real-life impact.¹-²

It’s not about being “soft.” It’s about reframing the message to reflect the stakes.

In healthcare or education—industries with more female representation—you’ll often hear language like “patient care” or “student success.”

Male-dominated industries? They lean hard on control, performance specs, and abstraction. “Optimize workflows.” “Boost operational readiness.” “Secure the perimeter.”

So when you see signage at ISC West that says things like “AI-Driven Threat Detection” instead of “Help Keep Teachers and Students Safe,” that’s exactly the disconnect. The tech may be sound. But the message misses the mark.

If more women were shaping the language and strategy behind this messaging, I suspect we’d see a shift—toward clarity, resonance, and trust. Messaging that feels more protective, more purposeful, and still entirely credible.

Why Language Matters, especially in Security

This isn’t just about tone. Language has real-world consequences.

Messaging affects how products are positioned. Who they attract. Who feels considered—or excluded. When the story being told is all about hardware, acronyms, and perimeter control, it leaves little space for people to feel seen or prioritized.

Security isn’t just about protecting things. It’s about protecting people. But you wouldn’t always know that from half the signage in this industry.

Representation = Market ExpanSion = $$$

This is the business case—and it’s a big one.

When you diversify the voices in the room, you don’t just change the tone. You change what even gets seen as an opportunity.

At ISC West, the dominant verticals were clear: hospitals, airports, government buildings, and schools. All massively important. All fairly conventional.

But are there verticals and business opportunities being missed because there aren’t more women sitting at the table?

Maybe they don’t come with military-size budgets—but high-traffic environments like women’s health clinics, early education centers, and fitness studios could absolutely benefit from smarter, more intuitive security tech.

And here's the thing: modern security technology can do so much more than just “secure” and “surveil.” The tech is already impressive, the applications are where we can have some fun.

So let me put on my girl-powered thinking cap and spitball a few ideas:

• Let’s sell a camera that monitors heart rate to Orangetheory.

• How about an AI tool that scores how well you stayed on beat during your SoulCycle class and then builds you a playlist you can keep up with? (They already have SoulBeat, so I know I’m not that far off.)

• AI video that predicts potential injuries based on posture or unsafe equipment handling at the gym?

• Baby monitors that can identify the difference between hunger and tired cries (It’s totally a thing, and if I can hear it, so can a camera.)

If these end up being billion-dollar ideas, just send me a check.

I’m not saying I have the answers. I’m saying there are untapped opportunities hiding in plain sight. But because these verticals aren’t part of the industry’s current field of vision, they’re rarely part of the roadmap.

This isn’t a niche issue—it’s an invisible one.

Industries with more diverse representation spot these gaps sooner. They ask different questions. They build for different use cases. In tech and engineering fields, for example, teams with greater gender diversity see more innovation, better product development, and fewer blind spots.

In security? Those blind spots are costly—not just in market share, but in missed opportunities to make people safer and improve quality of life.

This Isn’t a Lecture. It’s an Observation.

The security industry doesn’t need to be softer. It needs to be sharper—more curious about who it’s protecting, how it’s showing up, and what voices are being left out of the conversation.

Because the thing is: representation doesn’t just change the story. It changes the strategy. It shapes what gets noticed, what gets built, and what gets prioritized.

And when you start to include the voices that haven’t historically been in the room, you don’t just create more inclusive messaging—you uncover opportunities the industry didn’t even know it was missing.

How do you attract more women into the industry?

I’ll leave that to some other genius to answer.

I’m just sharing my observations.

Just to recap…

Representation changes language.
Language changes perception.
Perception changes markets.
Markets change profit.

And if that’s not a compelling reason to get more women in the room, I don’t know what is.

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Sources

¹ Wang, X. (2020). An Analysis of Gender Differences in Emotional Speech Based on TED Talks. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 10(4), 528-537.

²: Ahmad, S., Awan, M. S., & Naveed, A. (2024). Gender differences in language use in Talks at Google.