As technology continues to advance, so does the prevalence of cybercrime. Per the AARP, American families lost almost $7 billion to cybercrime in 2021 alone.

Online security provider Aura wants to do its part to fight cybercrime, but to do so it needs a strong team. Luckily, there is one person willing to stand alongside the brand in battle who has some (onscreen) crime-fighting experience: former Iron Man Robert Downey Jr.

Aura has enlisted the Marvel Studios alum for its latest campaign. He’s also joining the brand’s board of directors. As part of this multi-year journey, Downey will serve as a brand advocate and strategist.

To support Aura’s partnership with Downey, the brand launched a 2-minute spot ahead of the actor’s SXSW session to discuss online crime. The spot, titled “Role of a Lifetime” and created in collaboration with agency DDB San Francisco and Cut, shows Downey in an audition-style parody as he playfully expresses the goals of the partnership.

“Online criminals are getting smarter, and the only way to stay a step ahead of attackers is to use intelligent safety technologies,” Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Aura, said in a statement. “Traditionally, digital security has required a lot of attention and maintenance. But I strongly believe that these tools should reduce the burden of defense for users.” 

“Honestly, the exponential growth of online crime, just in the last several years, is truly terrifying,” Robert Downey Jr. said in a statement. “It requires an innovative solution to protect our families, which is why I’m joining Hari and his team at Aura to tackle the crisis head-on.”

Fighting cybercrime

In addition to the partnership, Aura launched a new family-focused user experience with new protections designed to prevent scams, hacks, fraud and other digital security threats. 

With many brands such as the Orange Group and the National Cybersecurity Alliance already taking action toward cyber safety, Aura hopes creating user-friendly tools will help combat online criminals. 

“Role of a Lifetime” will run on the brand’s Youtube, social media channels and streaming platforms Hulu, Paramount+ and Tubi.