The original keychain fastener was used to prevent burglaries, by fastening keys tightly to doors. The invention was patented in 1894 by Frederick J. Loudin. As well as an inventor, Loudin was a member of the Jubilee Singers, a world-famous touring African-American choir who performed for Queen Victoria.Who invented the modern keyring?
Modern keyrings were invented in the 19th century by Samuel Harrison. The most common form of the keyring is a single piece of metal in a ‘double loop’.
1700 BC.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York exhibits an amulet of ancient Egypt. It is a hedgehog on a string from the Memphite region and paved the way for future key rings.
600 BC.
The Celts associated rabbits with luck, believing that they could communicate with the spirits of the underworld in their burrows. Wearing a rabbit’s foot was associated with better fertility.
1880
It was only in the 19th century that the term key ring designated the object in itself, with no other function than that of carrying keys. One of the first souvenir key rings was used at the World Exhibition of Colombia in Chicago. Better known as the Chicago World’s Fair, this event also introduced the world to the very first Ferris wheel, which was not used to carry the keys until the 19th century.
The first advertising key ring appeared in 1902, under the Gladiateur brand, at the Brussels Cycle Show.
1914
During the Second World War, soldiers wore medals of luck on the battlefield. Key chains have become an extremely popular souvenir item for tourists.
1942
Soldiers wore lucky key rings during the Second World War.
1950
Many car manufacturers have started to offer personalised key rings when buying a vehicle. Cea metal key rings represent French car brands. Production began to be the prerogative of the biggest brands, in all sectors (food, automotive, household products…), the key ring quickly became an essential advertising medium that the French quickly took to heart. There has been a “tsunami of key rings” in France. Thousands of key rings were produced and distributed.
1960
More than 65,000 different advertising models are launched, usually in tens of thousands of copies. It’s boom time!
1970
Many companies have advertised with key rings. Their logo or advertising message was printed on plain paper and inserted into a hard plastic case.
1990
Rubber key rings were very popular with companies. They were fairly inexpensive and easy to mould into various shapes, including the popular number 1 for sports teams and key shapes for real estate agents.
Dual-purpose key rings were all the rage, along with additional tools such as flashlights and tape measures.
2009
The digital age has made it possible to innovate even more in the design of the key ring. The camera pictured here was equipped with a 1.5-inch LCD screen that displayed up to 60 colour images!
In China, they started selling live animals in key rings. Each trinket featured tiny amphibious creatures that were suspended in a coloured liquid with beads and other decorations.
2016
An ingenious key fob allows you to pair your keys with your phone via Bluetooth technology. If you lose your keys, an alert is triggered on your phone to inform you of their location.
It is well known that when people go out, they take their keys with them. By wearing key rings, you will have thousands of people wearing your advertisement for free.
Have you ever had an advertising keyring? Did it work?