• by Karl Greenberg , May 30, 2013

Who would have thought you could anthropomorphize a lock? Schlage has been doing just that for a year with its humorous (and, also, who would have thought locks could be funny?) campaign, "Strong Has a Name." The effort puts the lock in all kinds of situations that assume a lock has a personality like, well, a lock. The company is extending that platform with new TV creative that puts the focus on a guy who needs a lock desperately -- although for a troubling or hilarious reason, depending on your perspective.

The campaign, via Indianapolis-based Young & Laramore (Y&L), which has been AOR for 18 months, touts the company's electronic keyless lock system. The TV ad has a guy at retail thinking about buying brand X. While he's mulling, a salesman steps up with a Schlage keyless lock suggesting that while it's a bit more money, it's a lot more secure. Flashback to the reason the guy wants the lock in the first place: he's in a "Fatal Attraction" situation. “I think I’ll take the Schlage,” he says, snapping back to the present.

Online, the company has 11 funny scenarios on its  YouTube channel that highlight just how strong Schlage locks are. Each, with a "So strong that…" theme, makes the point by putting the lock in situations that make personal character and integrity a metaphor for Schlage lock strength. In one, a professional hypnotist has everyone at a party completely spellbound and acting out absurd suggestions. One of the participants is a Schlage lock, which remains … a lock, much to the hypnotist’s chagrin. "So strong, it can't be hypnotized" is the theme.

The creative is also on its social networks using the hashtag #SchlageMeansStrong. There are also six Vine videos distributed via the Vine app, plus a custom Tumblr page that highlights the videos and houses strength-related items, memes, and Spotify playlists, and even things like how to make stronger coffee. The page will also feature user-generated content where people can create their own Vine videos, incorporating the “So Strong” theme. 

Tom Denari, president of Y&L, said the effort is meant to change a conversation that has become predictable. "This tends to be a low-interest category -- it's not every day people think about locks, it's about once every seven years," he says. "So we are using humor to engage people in a category that tends to have lots of messages from security companies. The lock tends to be lost in that. So our goal really is to create a more visceral feeling."

Said Ann Matheis, Schlage brand director, in a statement: "We know locks are something people don't spend a lot of time thinking about, but we feel this relatable content will help keep our brand top of mind." 

The company says last year's campaign that included a digital and physical scavenger hunt led to a 110% increase in traffic, and a 30% increase in new visits to the brand’s Web site in media markets vs. non-media markets.