Sometimes meetings are better in person. Years ago, I attended a client meeting at the Royal Building Products manufacturing plant in Columbus, Ohio. Some of the plant was automated with robotic assembly lines, but most of it was filled with locals working an endless array of jobs. On the perfieree of the main floor was an inconspicuous door, save for the large yellow mandatory eye protection signs flanking it. This door led to Royal’s R&D department. I ventured inside and met the real scientists at Royal, who conduct real experiments, testing things like durability, density, and color retention.

This campaign’s characters, Roy and Al of Royal (get it?), are inspired by those real innovators at Royal. Drawing on the familiar mad scientist trope (à la Christopher Lloyd, Adam Savage, or James May), the In The Lab campaign gave contractors, architects, and distributors a reason to engage Royal...at least until we can serve free hotdogs at trade shows again.