“I AM ALARMO, SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS. BURGLARS GET OUTTA TOWN  WHEN THEY SEE THE SLOMIN’S SHIELD!”

Slomin’s was alarmed. Their 1.800.ALARM ME direct-response lines weren’t ringing, and sales of their home security systems had slumped. Competitors had stolen Slomin’s marketing concept of offering free hardware and installation with a 5-year contract, and the copycat security systems were becoming a threat. Slomin’s needed a Big Idea. I turned their lawn shield sign into their logo and named them The Slomin’s Shield. The authority of the shield logo lent credence to TV spots of families singing Shield your home: The Slomin’s Shield! Call volume tripled and telemarketing doubled, their business took off, and they opened new, virgin territory. Then, in a thunderbolt, I created an animated superhero celebrity, Alarmo (along with a 7-inch replica action-toy that kids pestered their parents for). Within months, Alarmo muscled Slomin’s into being the power brand of home security systems.