The Victorian era was pivotal for the development of the security profession: increases in population density, urban poverty and the widening of the gap between rich and poor led to more crime, and perhaps more significantly, more fear of crime. Capitalising on this fear was a budding security industry, keen to offer solutions that would make their customers both safer and feel more secure. Industrialisation was opening the door to numerous new inventions and technologies that would help to deter, detect, delay, mitigate or respond to security threats, predominantly crime-related.

While both state and non-state security actors responded to the new threats and opportunities, it was the up-and-coming private security industry that took most advantage of print advertising for security marketing. From around 1800 to the mid-1900s, before the Digital Revolution properly began, security advertisements were predominantly in the form of sections in printed newspapers, newspapers and magazine articles, posters, leaflets, flyers and catalogues – anywhere that could be read or seen by large numbers of people. Security actors used various perceptible tactics and techniques to help attract new customers, some of which are still used today by some companies.

Fear and reassurance

Security advertisements often used language that portrayed vivid, sometimes exaggerated, depictions of crime (e.g. ‘the burglar at the back door!’) to create a sense of urgency for responding to crime risk. The threat was often articulated as being towards what people would be most fearful of losing – loved ones, property and livelihoods.At the same time, they promised peace of mind through easy-to-use, convenient, tangible solutions, such as locks, safes and professional security officers.This contrast between serious threat and calm, reliable security is a technique that is sometimes still used in the private security industry.

Technological optimism and absolutism

Another common method used, particularly in Victorian-era advertising, was the portrayal of the security technology or services being proposed as cutting-edge, revolutionary and absolutely effective.Security advertisers often highlighted patents, ‘first‑ever’ designs, endorsements from police departments and use by respectable institutions to signal credibility. They also almost always conveyed the solution in absolutist terms, describing their offerings as providing ‘absolute protection’ against the defined threats, as if it was possible to threat-proof the asset. English, French and other language advertisements commonly use the term ‘guarantee’ to convey the absolute protection the solution would provide – e.g. ‘guaranteed protection against theft’ – demonstrating the presumed confidence that security firms had in their solutions.

Visual storytelling

Before photography became widely accessible to businesses in the industrialised world in the late 19^th century, security firms often used illustrators to depict scenes and the solutions on offer, for their advertisements. These illustrators commonly often used bold line work, dramatic shadows, and exaggerated facial expressions to convey threat, fear, trust and reassurance. They also sometimes used contrasting tones or colours to portray the security solution in light, protecting against a dark threat. Some print advertisements, such as posters and catalogues, also incorporated early forms of infographics, for example displaying how a lock’s levers align or the complex mechanisms within a safe’s door.

Summary

As society and cultures have evolved, so have security marketing techniques. Today, digital mass media continues to gradually replace printed information channels, and a single viral YouTube video of a violent criminal act can create a considerable demand for a security solution in a short timespan. Consequently, the fear of security threats will likely always play a strong role in how private security actors attract new customers.

It may be tempting to be cynical and dismissive of the intentions behind these early forms of security advertising, that often utilised fear so palpably to influence consumer behaviour towards purchasing security solutions that would not offer the absolute degree of protection promised. Nevertheless, they undoubtably did help to improve both awareness of possible security risks and provide tangible reassurance and a degree of protection against certain threat actors. However, the starkly simplified communication of risk contrasts considerably with the understanding that we have today, as modern security professionals, that risk can never be eliminated through security mitigations, it can only be reduced. Security risk managers also have to consider whether it is preferable to avoid, transfer or accept the identified risks, after a thorough assessment of assets, threats, vulnerabilities and risk.