Case Study
B2B / CYBERSECURITY / CORPORATE PR

How we aided Phillipp Kalweit’s media comeback and put KALWEIT ITS on the map

Client

KALWEIT ITS
www.kalweit-its.de

Project date

2024 – ongoing

Services

B2B / CYBERSECURITY / CORPORATE PR

The results

6

MONTHS

8+

Clippings

775,800+

REACH

The brief

When he was just 14 years old, Philipp Kalweit gained national attention as Germany’s “cybersecurity wunderkind.” Today, he is the founder and CEO of the established boutique consultancy KALWEIT ITS, with the ambition of being recognized as a leading voice for IT security in Germany.

Since then, Philipp’s company has built a reputation as a highly specialized cybersecurity partner, appearing on publications like Forbes amongst others, with an excellent team, measurable impact, outstanding knowledge of the industry and state-of-the-art cybersecurity services.

However, their media presence declined somewhat in recent years. This might be because the "Wunderkind" narrative, once attached to their CEO, has naturally evolved as he's aged (even though he's still only 24). To reposition themselves as the IT and security experts their clients know them to be, they were on the lookout for a partner agency.

In 2024, KALWEIT ITS partnered with Laika to reestablish KALWEIT ITS as a thought leader in cybersecurity, boost visibility among corporations and SMEs, and raise urgent awareness around IT risks and effective solutions. Trust and clarity formed the basis for our collaborative approach.

Philipp Kalweit rose to national fame at just 14 as Germany’s “cybersecurity wunderkind.” Today, as CEO of KALWEIT ITS, he leads a boutique consultancy acclaimed for technical expertise, exceptional impact, and headline placements in outlets such as Forbes. As Philipp matured, so did his company—yet media attention declined as the original “wunderkind” narrative evolved. To reposition themselves as industry authorities beyond their early reputation, KALWEIT ITS sought a strategic PR partner.

In 2024, KALWEIT ITS partnered with Laika to:
Reestablish KALWEIT ITS as a thought leader in cybersecurity
Boost visibility among corporations and SMEs
Raise urgent awareness around IT risks and effective solutions

Trust and clarity formed the basis for our collaborative approach

The campaign

Objective: To establish KALWEIT ITS as a leading cybersecurity expert and thought leader in Germany.

Strategy: Increase media visibility by securing coverage in influential business and technology publications.

Narrative Development: Translate complex cybersecurity jargon into a clear, relatable, and understandable message for a wider audience to ensure maximum engagement.

Media work & key relationships

In just six months, we've successfully activated our existing network and forged valuable new media relationships. We secured a guest article and an interview with Diana Künstler, Editor-in-Chief of Connect Professional, on the security risks of AI models.

We also organized a TV feature with Lars Kaufmann, a journalist from NDR DAS!, supporting the entire on-site shoot and sourcing the protagonist for the story. Our efforts earned excellent editorial feedback, and we're proud of the results.

Over the past few months, our work with KALWEIT ITS has focused on core topics including:
Security risks of AI models like DeepSeek
Cybersecurity for SMEs
Phishing and ransomware as everyday threats
Large scale data leak of the BVG
Current Cyberattacks (...)

Media Network Activation: In six months, Laika mobilized its established network and developed new media relationships to strategically ensure KALWEIT ITS’s thought leadership reached both mainstream and targeted trade audiences.

Flagship Editorial Placements:

Secured a guest article and exclusive interview with Diana Künstler, Editor-in-Chief of Connect Professional, delving into the security risks of emergent AI models and demystifying cybersecurity for business leaders.

Orchestrated and supported a TV feature with Lars Kaufmann for NDR DAS!, facilitating everything from the narrative angle to on-site logistics and protagonist selection, ensuring the story powerfully illustrated cybersecurity for SMEs.

Editorial Impact: This media work led to excellent feedback; journalists commended KALWEIT ITS’s expertise and clarity, further strengthening the consultancy’s media relationships and organizational reputation in the cybersecurity sector

Storytelling Approach – our focus for 2025

Cyber Resilience and Emerging Threats for SMEs

Highlighting how small and medium-sized enterprises, often with limited IT resources, face increasingly sophisticated threats like phishing, ransomware, and insider risks, and how they can build resilience despite budget and staffing constraints.

Zero Trust & Network Security in a Hybrid Work World

Explaining the importance of adopting Zero Trust models, dynamic access controls, and continuous monitoring as foundational to protecting modern, distributed business environments—including SMEs adapting to hybrid work.

Artificial Intelligence: Dual Role in Cybersecurity

Exploring AI as both a powerful tool for threat detection and analysis, and simultaneously as a source of new security challenges due to AI-driven attacks and vulnerabilities.

This focused narrative captures the urgent, complex cybersecurity landscape SMEs operate within in 2025 while connecting to broader industry themes and KALWEIT ITS’s expertise.

Notable Engagements:

Interview and guest article with Diana Künstler, Editor-in-Chief of Connect Professional, on AI security risks

TV feature with NDR DAS! on cybersecurity for SMEs, including on-site coordination

The results

Within the first six months, Laika and KALWEIT ITS achieved:

8 published articles across trade and mainstream media
+775,800 reach (UVM)
3 more features already in the pipeline

Our story-telling made cybersecurity understandable and engaging for broad audiences, shifting public perception and firmly establishing Philipp Kalweit as a thought leader while spotlighting KALWEIT ITS’s unique value proposition.