Local advertising firms wrangle new business

Two of the city’s largest advertising agencies have pulled down potentially lucrative work.

Young & Laramore has been hired by client Ingersoll-Rand to introduce its Allegion security products spinoff, which will go public later this year.

Meanwhile, Hirons & Co. has renewed a contract with the Indianapolis Zoo and, in a separate move, plans to add six more digital media positions.

Young & Laramore declined to discuss the billings potential for its expanded role with Ingersoll-Rand. It already represents the conglomerate’s Schlage lock brand, which will be one of several security products brands generating $2 billion in annual sales under the newly formed Allegion. Others include Dexter and Von Duprin.

Ireland-based Allegion will have North American headquarters in Carmel.

Y&L will also oversee creative advertising, and global media buying and advertising for Allegion, which will trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

“Giving the face to a brand-new company in a world where security is more and more important is what we’ll be looking at,” said Y&L President Tom Denari.

Several years ago, Y&L represented the former parent of client Steak n’ Shake when it went public.

Y&L has produced a number of humorous television commercials for Schlage. One shows a pensive man in a home improvement store, trying to decide between a Schlage lockset and a discount brand. His mind flashes back to a dinner in which he dumped his girlfriend, who in a psychotic response vows never to leave him alone.

Hirons extended its relationship with another type of stalking animal of sorts—winning a new, three-year contract with the Indianapolis Zoo.

Agency president Tom Hirons declined to elaborate on the financial details. Hirons has represented the zoo for the better part of a decade.

Hirons has also been bulking up its staff skilled in digital media. The 47-employee agency is in hiring three more people, including dedicated digital strategists, and is looking at hiring three others in the near future.

In recent years, advertisers have intensified their marketing messages through channels such as mobile phones and tablets. Digital outreach has become more sophisticated, such as a parking campaign for Indianapolis International Airport using GPS coordinates to send a pitch to a motorist’s device as it nears the airport.

“Digital is now 60 percent of our total media buy. That’s millions [of dollars],” said Hirons.

In 2011, Hirons had local billings of $39 million; Young & Laramore $45 million.