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Shaq’s Hacking Scare Becomes a VPN Pitch
Tuesday 15th September, 2026
NordVPN put brand ambassador Shaquille O’Neal on stage at a Times Square event to talk about being targeted by scammers and the importance of digital security. The personal story gave the company’s privacy message a recognisable face and a timely hook for coverage.
Why it worked: They used a celebrity’s fresh, first-person breach confession plus a poll busting antivirus myths, creating a timely, counterintuitive safety warning with proof.
The lesson: Consider pairing a well-known figure’s recent near-miss story with simple survey data that overturns a common belief—then stage live Q&A.
NordVPN
8 Sources:
Coverage over time
How this story spread across the media
| Publication | Headline | Date |
|---|---|---|
| clutchpoints.com | Shaq lands new role as NordVPN ambassador | Tuesday 15th September, 2026 |
| gizmodo.com | Shaq Is NordVPN's New Face, and the Antivirus Behind His Ads Is 75% Off | Friday 2nd October, 2026 |
| wired.com | Shaq Got Hacked. Now He’s Pitching for a VPN | Wednesday 7th October, 2026 |
| archyde.com | Shaquille O'Neal Promotes NordVPN After Being Hacked – Archyde | Thursday 8th October, 2026 |
| techradar.com | NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal teams up with NordVPN, taking over NYC to raise awareness of digital threats | TechRadar | Friday 9th October, 2026 |
| cybernews.com | Americans think they can spot scams – they can't, and Shaq (yes, that Shaq) wants to change it | Cybernews | Saturday 10th October, 2026 |
| blackenterprise.com | Shaq Gets Serious About Cybersecurity After Getting Hacked - | Saturday 10th October, 2026 |
| bleedingcool.com | NordVPN Teams With Shaquille O'Neal To Promote Online Protection | Tuesday 13th October, 2026 |