How research-driven Thought Leadership helped Akamai drive market adoption in cybersecurity
Through a global survey of IT and cybersecurity professionals, Phronesis delivered rich insights on adoption trends, technology maturity, and business outcomes for global cloud, security and content platform provider Akamai.
We equipped Akamai with high-impact content to support B2B sales enablement and differentiate its advanced segmentation solution in a competitive landscape.
Objective
The client, a $4 billion multinational tech provider serving industries such as defense, healthcare, and finance, recognized the need to refresh its thought leadership strategy. Its last report on segmentation for cybersecurity was published in 2023—before the acceleration of microsegmentation, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and user-level segmentation technologies.
With the threat landscape evolving rapidly, Akamai's marketing team needed a way to:
- Re-engage enterprise buyers with fresh, data-backed insights
- Provide their sales team with credible content to support solution marketing
- Drive awareness and adoption of their integrated segmentation offering
- Build brand authority through insight-led marketing campaigns
Solution
Phronesis designed and executed a comprehensive global B2B market research study, focused on uncovering how segmentation is being adopted and its measurable impact on cybersecurity resilience.
Research Design & Execution
- Secondary research to benchmark current segmentation technologies across cloud and hybrid environments
- Survey questionnaire design optimized for clarity, neutrality, and response accuracy
- Emphasis on minimizing response bias and aligning questions with Akamai's content marketing goals
Target Audience & Scope
- 1,200 respondents in IT security, risk, and compliance roles
- 40% were senior leaders (Director, VP, or SVP level)
- 10-country coverage across North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APJ
- Organizations across 8 verticals, all with over 1,000 employees (50% over $1B in revenue)
Results
The study generated compelling, research-driven insights that formed the backbone of Akamai's report, which included insights into:
- Why implementation of microsegmentation is low despite more than 90% of companies using it
- Non-adopters plans to implement microsegmentation and current adopters' plans to increase investment
- Regulatory and architectural approaches that are driving maturity and the strong correlation between segmentation maturity and regulatory compliance outcomes
Impact
The final report is a flagship thought leadership asset—designed not only to shape industry perspectives on cybersecurity segmentation but also to fuel B2B marketing campaigns, sales conversations, and customer education initiatives.
By grounding its market messaging in original research, Akamai is now better equipped to:
- Influence IT decision-makers with credible, third-party insights
- Differentiate its B2B cybersecurity solution in a crowded market
- Provide its salesforce with actionable proof points to support pipeline conversion
- Drive product adoption by demonstrating real-world value
Download the full report: Why microsegmentation now defines enterprise cybersecurity, risk, and resilience
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