Security Masterpieces

• By Ginger Hill
• Nov 01, 2013

Entering his studio, he elegantly strides over to his shelf filled with brushes and colors of gooey paint. Grabbing several different tubes, he decorates his palette with dots of color that he hopes to turn into a masterpiece on the white canvas that is beckoning him in the corner by the window.

Taking his paint-filled palette in his left hand and selecting just the right brush in his other hand, he slowly dips the tip into one of the dots, then another and another, his fluid strokes allowing the bristles to fill the canvas with various shades of color.

As he smears color after color, blending, using his brush to shape images, his creative mind of limitless possibilities and steady hand create a masterpiece.

Just as meticulous as an artist, so is the security integrator, taking a blank canvas and using products from different companies to create the perfect security system masterpiece for each customer based on their specific security needs.

Recognizing this connection, Tyco Security Products developed a campaign centered on security as an art form. After looking at the diversity in each category of their growing portfolio, they realized that their customers truly are their inspiration.

“Working on a campaign that adequately reflects this just feels right,” commented Linda Mansillo Kear, vice president of global marketing and communications, Tyco Security Products.

The Palette

Tyco realized that by offering products in access control, video, intrusion and location visibility that this created a palette of truly-inspired, best-in-class solutions that form security masterpieces. By giving people choices of technologically-inspired options, the company allows their customers to take collective pieces of technology to create a palette of choices to develop their own security-based work of art.

A “dot” on Tyco’s palette is Proximex Surveillint, representing integration with more than 250 systems allowing bi-directional communication so that users can mitigate risks, enforce compliance and lower overall costs by offering a complete view of all activity in a single view in real time.

Software House adds iSTAR Edge to the company’s palette of choices, an access control device that uses PoE to reduce installation costs by using the existing infrastructure.

Intevo by Kantech represents the access control, IP video and intrusion part of this palette. This intuitive security solution uses the Web to access the full security system anytime, anywhere.

Adding the power of mobile to this palette is Elpas’ Elris Go, a mobile app that allows field personnel to receive immediate, up-to-date, indoor positioning data.

Illustra 625 PTZ was added to American Dynamics’ IP camera portfolio, giving Tyco’s palette a bit of video flair. This camera uses ultra-low latency performance where locating, tracking and zooming in on a subject’s details is critical.

Concluding this palette of options, exacqVision by exacq is a cross-platform, event-driven, video management solution that integrates with all leading IP cameras, allowing limitless third party integration opportunities.

Each of these solutions and companies has colors associated with it, whether it is the color of the product, the logo or a specific part of the solution, which made Tyco think about palettes of color and the creation of masterpieces with their customers as the artists.

“As the campaign developed, we thought about how we could extend and reflect this in ways to help influence,” Kear said.

The Artist

Planning for a tradeshow is never a simple task, and ASIS 2013 proved to be no different for everyone involved. Held in the “Windy City”, Tyco decided to commission a local artist to create three works of art that reflected characteristics of Chicago in relation to their campaign, “Inspired Security.”

“We stumbled across Gino Savarino, a Chicago artist who we felt represented Chicago with the inspiration of the city as reflected in his art work,” Kear said.

Over the course of three days, Savarino’s studio became Tyco Security Product’s ASIS booth as he created three masterpieces with Chicago themes including the skyline, Wrigley field and a pop art piece by combining several different elements of Chicago.

Tyco’s goal was to demonstrate that each color represented a security product or service and, when put together with inspiration, creates a masterpiece.

“When I was told that I was going to be painting for Tyco, I was ecstatic,” Savarino said.

Savarino emigrated with his parents from Argentina to the United States when he was eight years old, and it was through drawing and music that he was able to escape his reality. He missed Argentina and to cope with the drastic life change, art was a great pacifier for him.

As he got older, he fell in love with street art and pop art, so he took some college courses focusing on art, but he didn’t have the patience for it and decided that college wasn’t for him. He did, however, take a class that focused on expressionism and he fell in love with that right away.

Years went by and Savarino opened and closed a few businesses but about eight years ago, he realized that art was his passion, and after selling a few pieces, he decided to become a full time artist.

“I enjoy painting, especially for charitable events,” explained Savarino. “I’m always out there looking for opportunities to help out. Of course, I can’t help everyone who contacts me, but I try to pick about four to five charitable events a year.”

The Gift

Perhaps the best part of this story is the ending, because you see, instead of keeping or auctioning off the paintings, Tyco decided to share all three pieces of art that Savarino created.

“We wanted to donate to a local hospital so that the art work stayed in Chicago where it was created to inspire,” said Kear.

And, that’s exactly what Tyco Security Products did to bring joy and inspiration to the children and their families at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital located in Chicago.

“The pieces are colorful, and this is a great way to bring cheer to young patients and their families,” said Savarino, speaking about the three pieces he created. “I can’t even imagine what the children and their families must be going through, so if I could add just a little bit to increase the children’s and their family’s happiness, then this makes me happy.”

When asked what part of the creation process is his favorite, Savarino answered, “Always the end because I go in with an idea in mind, but it never turns out like what I envisioned. I’m always happier with the final masterpiece, especially with abstract art. You either love it or you hate it.”

In this case, it seems to be all about love.

This article originally appeared in the November 2013 issue of Security Today.