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.
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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.