Why People Remember Jaws but Forget Your Security Training
KnowBe4, Tuesday, August 18th, 2026
KnowBe4 argues engaging, high-production security content drives recall and behavior change where compliance training fails.
KnowBe4's Javvad Malik uses the enduring recall of a single line from Jaws to argue that production quality and storytelling drive memory in a way compliance training does not.
Most people can picture the shark, the beach and the music instantly, years after last seeing the film.
The post argues security awareness content fails not because staff are careless but because the material is forgettable by construction. Engaging, high-production content creates lasting recall and, with it, behavior change. The argument targets organizations treating awareness training as a checkbox exercise.