Steal me - if you can

Owners of second-hand bikes never really escape the nagging sensation that the bike they've just bought online wasn't already stolen, and no amount of local police force initiatives ever seem to fully address the problem of bike theft.

As a security device, the Lock-Off bike lock from Cheeky.com claimed to be "near-indestructible". Cheeky.com is an online retailer that specialises in unusual but useful inventions that challenge accepted conventions of purpose and design. As such, the most noticeable feature of the Lock-Off is the unmistakable message it sends to would-be bike thieves: Lock-Off is the only bike lock to give thieves the finger.

A challenge for criminals

Opportunities to demonstrate the effectiveness of a bike lock are somewhat limited in traditional media. Manufacturers can make any number of claims about the strength and effectiveness of their product, but to the cyclist who has had their bike stolen needs some more concrete proof that their new bike lock is the ultimate protection from thieves.

To prove just how good the Lock-Off was, agency The Social House attached a bike some railings in a part of Dublin that was notorious for bike theft. Confidence in the Lock-Off was so strong that cutting tools were also chained to the bike. A sign with the words "steal me" was the final addition to the bait. A camera was left set up to record the stunt, and the footage used in a demonstration video hosted on YouTube.

Results

Within three weeks of upload, the Lock-Off video had been viewed more than 8000 times.

Why is this on Cream? Demonstration videos and infomercials can often be quite boring for the viewer. Here The Social House have risked a product demonstration in a very public environment, which makes for entertaining viewing and a compelling case for the product.

Go on! Steal me... if you can

See also: "Nothing is more believable than product"