New SmartStop(R) Self Storage App Turns Dad Into Hero in Just-Released Video Commercial

High-Tech Meets Low-Tech in New 'Save the Day' Ad


LADERA RANCH, CA--(Marketwire - Sep 5, 2012) - A distraught but determined dad ultimately triumphs and finds his daughter's missing toy bunny -- with a little high-tech help from SmartStop® Self Storage's new App -- in the company's new 30-second spot.

SmartStop's "Save the Day" commercial is a humorous take on an everyday hero's frantic search for his sleeping child's "nummy," which he finally locates in his rental storage unit by using the SmartStop App for smart phones. 

With the app's remote-inventory-system feature, customers can find and track their valuables in storage. The technology also allows them to buy moving supplies and book their reservations online.

The spot's light-hearted message -- that parents' above-and-beyond efforts for their kids are often lost on the kids -- delivers a bit of practical advice, as well, said H. Michael Schwartz, CEO and Chairman of Strategic Storage Trust, Inc. (SSTI), the publicly registered real estate investment trust that brands its properties under the SmartStop name.

"Our storage inventory app is very clever, but we know new technology can be intimidating for some customers," said Schwartz. "By using humor, we hope to show how the app can be a lifesaver in the kind of situation anyone can relate to -- that panicky hunt for that one thing that will placate a child."

"Save the Day," which can be viewed on SmartStop's website, http://www.smartstopselfstorage.com/ and on YouTube, highlights the signature features of SmartShop's brand: convenience, the latest technology, friendliness, cleanliness and affordability at its self-storage properties in more than 17 states and Canada.

In the commercial, the doting dad frantically searches under beds, in cabinets and trash cans for the missing bunny.

"Where's the nummy?" he says to his wife. "Gotta find the nummy! She wants the nummy! She cried all night for the nummy! Gotta find the nummy! She's gonna wake up any second!"

The video is the latest piece in SmartStop's ongoing marketing campaign that has included the "Sing It Smart" video-jingle contest. Last fall, Brent Morgan, a 23-year-old Athens, Ala. music teacher, received the grand prize of $5,000 for obtaining the highest number of votes on Facebook for his catchy guitar solo, "Goodbye Clutter, Hello Floors." www.youtube.com/smartstopss.

In April, 60-second radio spots based on Morgan's winning jingle began airing in Las Vegas and Atlanta to announce a new promotion: "SmartStop bucks the system."

SmartStop also leveraged music videos submitted by other contest entrants by creating 15-second video spots to run in local movie theaters in markets where the company has a critical mass of storage properties.

"Today's self storage customer is increasingly sophisticated in how they like to receive their information," said SmartStop Marketing Vice President Michele Cataldo. "We are trying to embrace all the different channels of communication, whether it's television, radio, movies or social media. The idea is that to really understand the SmartStop way you need to hear it, see it, touch it, feel it."

About SmartStop® Self Storage
SmartStop® Self Storage offers affordable, accessible and secure storage space for residential and commercial customers. SmartStop offers secure interior and exterior units as well as outside storage areas for vehicles, RVs and boats. In addition to features such as keypad access, security gates and video surveillance, the facilities also utilize well trained on-site associates to provide customers with the highest standard of service in the industry. To view our properties and locations or to find a nearby storage facility, visit www.smartstopselfstorage.com

About Strategic Storage Trust, Inc.
Strategic Storage Trust, Inc. (SSTI) is one of five publicly registered self-storage REITs in the United States and is one of the fastest growing self-storage REITs nationwide. The SSTI management team is comprised of industry veterans with extensive institutional experience in the acquisition and property management of self-storage properties. Since the launch of SSTI in 2008, the company's portfolio of wholly-owned properties has expanded to include 100 properties in 17 states and Canada that are being branded as SmartStop® Self Storage. The portfolio includes approximately 64,800 self-storage units and 8.1 million rentable square feet of storage space. For more information about SSTI, please call 949-429-6600 or visit www.strategicstoragetrust.com 

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Company ProfileSmartStop Self Storage