category finalist
Master Lock has been synonymous with “padlock” for over a century. This legacy has established the brand as a leader in the locks and safes category, but in 2022–2023, they saw signs of declining market share due to a convergence of market, category, and consumer trends.
Our research showed that while our target audience (men 25-54) is responsible, capable, and hands-on, their experience shopping the category was anything but confident. Most purchases were triggered by a practical need: buying something new that required protection, moving, or creating a safer environment for kids. Once in the aisle (whether online or in-store), this audience faced a wall of sameness. This lack of clarity, paired with the category’s absence of meaningful brand storytelling, left them defaulting to price as the deciding factor nearly half the time.
The opportunity was clear: shift this behavior by helping consumers make their decision based on product quality and brand trust, and reestablish Master Lock as the most responsible choice in security. To do this, we needed to change how people thought about the category itself—from “a lock is a lock” to “there is no acceptable alternative to Master Lock.”
For our audience, the act of securing something goes far beyond the product itself. It is about taking responsibility and doing what is right. By anchoring our strategy in this insight, we repositioned Master Lock not as one option among many, but as the brand that embodies responsibility and authority.
We distilled this idea into a simple, powerful phrase: “If it means something, Master it.” As the authority in locks and safes, Master Lock is uniquely positioned to tell people to Master it.
Our campaign included a full suite of assets across social, high-impact display, connected TV and audio. Social content ran on Meta, Reddit, Pinterest, and Nextdoor, while connected TV placements included Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. Audio executions included pre-recorded spots and a live ad on The Joe Rogan Experience. We worked closely with the brand to ensure the positioning permeated the organization. Product-level messaging was updated with the new tone and strategy, and packaging redesigns are underway to reflect the positioning. All activations were designed to reflect the human truth at the heart of the campaign: responsibility drives consumer decisions.
Master Lock’s campaign drove meaningful business results against its two primary objectives: share growth and DTC acceleration. Direct-to-consumer sales surged +175% YOY, with total DTC (including SentrySafe) up +18%. Master Lock gained share with a key retail partner, reversed share declines on Amazon, and reasserted its leadership.
NOTE: RESULTS LISTED ARE CONFIDENTIAL
