McAfee and Pat McAfee Turn a Long-Running Name Mix-Up Into a Straightforward Way for Fans to Stay Safe Online

Whether you’ve been saying mack-uh-fee or mick-affy, the long-running mix-up spotlights today’s McAfee — modern protection that goes far beyond antivirus to catch scam messages, fake links, and deepfakes before they cause harm

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--McAfee, a global leader in online protection, today announced a new partnership with sports icon and cultural force, Pat McAfee. The collaboration is designed to introduce McAfee’s expanded protection platform to one of the most loyal, passionate, and engaged audiences in sports and entertainment, using Pat’s humor and energetic voice to make safety and security simple and relatable.

Launching today, the first video in the campaign taps into a moment Pat’s audience knows well — the frequent mispronunciation of his last name. Pat turns the mix-up into both a joke and a teachable moment, showing fans how McAfee (the company) now protects people from many threats beyond viruses.

The comedic setup becomes a simple way to reintroduce how today’s McAfee helps people stay safe wherever they’re connected. Pat breaks down how features like VPN, Safe Browsing, and Scam Detector help fans dodge the real threats they face every day — scam messages, fake crypto deals, unsafe Wi-Fi, and AI-driven deepfakes — before any of it causes damage. It’s protection built for every moment, whether fans are streaming games, traveling, or scrolling nonstop.

“Pat’s audience is one of the most passionate and engaged communities in sports. His fans turn to him for his honest opinions and breakdowns of the moments that matter in sports. He’s bringing the same clarity and authenticity to the features that matter in safety and security,” said Stephanie Fried, Chief Marketing Officer at McAfee. “Many people still think McAfee only provides antivirus software for your computer, but today we protect people across every platform from so much more — from scams and identity theft to unsafe Wi-Fi and risky links. Using a moment his fans instantly recognize lets us tell that broader story in a way that feels fun, human, and culturally relevant.”

The “mack-uh-fee or mick-affy?” confusion has trailed Pat throughout his career, making it a highly recognizable moment with built-in comedic payoff. The campaign uses this as a creative spark while highlighting the real risks fans encounter every day from unsafe Wi-Fi to suspicious links to AI-powered scams. A second video featuring McAfee will debut in the coming weeks as part of a staggered rollout.

“There are a lot of things I love about McAfee,” Pat McAfee said. “First of all, their name is sweet, but their ability to protect my digital life in an easy and convenient way is second to none.”

The partnership brings McAfee’s message to fans all season long, with video content rolling out through December and supported by paid media. The campaign meets fans in the real moments where online risks show up — on public Wi-Fi, in social feeds, across game-day streams, and beyond.

About McAfee

McAfee Corp. is a global leader in online protection for consumers. Focused on protecting people, not just devices, McAfee’s consumer solutions adapt to users’ needs in an always-online world, empowering them to live securely through integrated, intuitive solutions that protect their families, communities, and businesses with the right security at the right moment. For more information, visit https://www.mcafee.com/