Keanu Reeves Fights Off Bad AI in B2B Campaign for Palo Alto ...

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B2B campaigns aren’t usually known for being flashy. They’re often filled with insider jargon and take a fairly cut-and-dry approach to their messaging.

But they don’t have to be that way, as a new campaign for cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks proves with its sci-fi fantasy.

Palo Alto Networks assembled an A-list team of Hollywood’s best—including actor Keanu Reeves, director David Leitch, composer Daniel Pemberton, and UPP visual—to create a new B2B campaign introducing a new suite of security solutions designed to help enterprises combat AI-generated cyberthreats. The suite is powered by its proprietary solution, Precision AI, which integrates machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI technologies.

“Most B2B communications lack humanity. The category is loaded with ads that sound like technical brochures. But humans like stories. Humans believe in stories,” said James Selman, founder and CCO of creative agency weights&pulleys, which worked on the project.

At the center of the campaign are four 60-second spots, starring Reeves as “J,” that are set in a fantastical world—a desert landscape of business, populated by workers trying to keep pace with evolving AI threats. The action comes in when cybercriminals attack, with J transforming himself and each company with the “good” AI of Precision AI.

“Origin Story” shows J as a regular cybersecurity guy doing his job when he realizes today’s AI threats are beyond him. He calls upon Precision AI for help, and receives a new set of tools. It’s the beginning of a tale of good vs. evil playing out in the millions of AI training models Palo Alto Networks runs every day to fight cybercrime. 

The next spots solidify the narrative, featuring “Network Attacks,” “Multi-Cloud Vulnerabilities” and “SEC-OPS Incident Response,” all ending with the tagline spoken by Reeves: “This isn’t sci-fi. This is Precision AI.”

“It was exciting for me to reconnect with my longtime friend Keanu, and I enjoyed collaborating with him and all the creatives on these commercials. We collectively captured the essence of the visionary work Palo Alto Networks does in the world of cybersecurity, and I’m proud we all accomplished our goal,” said Leitch in a statement.

The spots came from the Hollywood team as well as small creative shop weights&pulleys, which is led by Selman, a former Wieden+Kennedy and Apple creative.

Selman said the team originally was shooting for a Super Bowl release but realized they could tell a more complete story with four bigger spots. When it came to casting, Leitch immediately thought of Reeves; the two had worked together on John Wick. With him cast, everything fell into place.

“Each time we had a keyhole to thread, it just worked,” Selman told ADWEEK. “There was no wasted time. I’d never been on a set that was just clockwork like that.”

Selman also confirmed that Reeves was as nice as he has been portrayed, even working after he broke his kneecap on the set of the film Good Fortune, and signing up to do the voiceover even though it wasn’t originally written for him.

The highly collaborative set made the best ideas bubble to the top, Selman said, and included production by Minted Content.

“Our collaboration has led to an exceptional production. With thoughtfully designed sets and dynamic storytelling, this campaign not only sets new standards for commercials, but also highlights our dedication to delivering extraordinary content,” said Lance O’Connor, executive producer at Minted Content.

Selman added that B2B companies don’t need to be boring. They can tell stories and entertain people even when speaking to business peers.

“You can be the Apple or Nike of cybersecurity. You’ve just got to want to do it,” said Selman.

The target for this campaign, which continues to roll out online and on CTV and broadcast, is the C-Suite (CXOs) at enterprise companies. The goal is to increase brand awareness and further PANW’s perception as a leader in cybersecurity.