Advertising that's by the book. The Brand Book.

Parker’s new Brand Book is very clear about how ads are to look and feel. The goal is both admirable and necessary: to protect the Parker brand, and present a unified image to Parker’s many and diverse audiences, all communications vehicles must be cohesive. The mandate embraces everything from the Parker logo, business cards and catalogs, to trade shows, signage, brochures and advertising. And it must be followed.

But to a company brought up on the idea that different is better, the rules of the Brand Book feel, well, challenging to say the least.

All headlines must begin with the words, “Together, we can …” Body copy can only be about 100 words. The main image has to be a market or application photo – illustrations and illustrative photo effects are not allowed. And you have to leave room for a technology box, tag line, address line, gold bar and logo.

So, given all the rules, what’s left to the agency that wants its ads to be anything but predictable? Good old-fashioned ingenuity.

Below are the five ads chosen for the Aerospace Customer Support campaign. While each targets a different area of the Armed Forces – specifically Army, Navy, Air Force and its Airlift/Tanker arm – they are clearly Parker ads, marching to the beat of the Parker Brand Book drum.

When the ads were circulated internally, they received high marks for their consistency and their creativity, including their compelling headlines and visually exciting photography.

Proving that not all rules are meant to be broken in advertising.
(Click on the image below to view the ads at a larger size)