(PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990816/PHLOGO )
Under the banner of "Anything Possible," the campaign, including an integrated mix of employee communication, advertising, public relations, marketing and educational programs, seeks to raise awareness and interest in the engineered technologies that are essential to just about every sector of the economy.
"Motion and control technologies make things happen in our everyday lives -- from ordinary things to great things. They're mission-critical to every kind of transport and industry, because they perform work for anything that has to go, stop or be controlled," said Parker Communications VP Lorrie Paul Crum. "What's extraordinary is that the promise of human achievement is continually expanded by engineers who consider what is possible, and develop mechanisms to make it so."
Among the developments highlighted in the campaign are advances in medical teaching and treatment, flight and space exploration, power generation and environmentally friendly machinery. Print ads underscore Parker's behind-the- scenes role in such innovations, with an entertaining touch of humor that keeps the point from being overblown.
The advertising was created by Cleveland's Brokaw Inc. "The more we learned about Parker, and the incredible diversity of applications for its products, the more important it became to achieve a balance between the importance of the engineering and the modesty of the company," said Creative Director Greg Thomas. "On one hand, you realize that Parker likely had a role in making everything around you possible, but on the other hand, this is a company that takes its greatest pride in the achievements of its customers."
Parker's customer base spans commercial, technical, industrial and aerospace markets. Over the years, the company has been better known for products used in mobile and industrial machinery, although it also is a major supplier of aerospace flight controls and fuel systems. And in addition to those markets, Parker provides instrumentation for the semiconductor, energy and biomedical industries; climate controls for air conditioning and refrigeration; specialized media used in computers and telecommunication devices; and high-precision equipment for automation and robotics. Its expertise in motion and control also comes into play in the entertainment industry, from thrilling amusement rides to special effects created for blockbuster films such as Pearl Harbor, The Perfect Storm, Jurassic Park and the epic Titanic, in which Parker hydraulics were used to recreate the sinking of the fated vessel.
Campaign Elements
Employee Communications: The campaign initiated with a series of new employee communications launched in 2000, including a new newsletter, "On the Move," a fast-paced video program entitled "OnTV" and an overhaul of the company's intranet, "Parker Online." "The employee communications include a mix of strategic messages, knowledge resources, success stories and eye- opening applications of our technology," said Crum.
Advertising: The first print executions of advertising will be showcased in an eight-page magazine-style insert in the trade publications "Machine Design" and "Design News," beginning in January and February. The company plans to target advertising placements focused on industry and business media.
News: Stories about historical and new breakthroughs achieved with motion-control technology will be released on an ongoing basis, and posted on the company's web site, at www.parker.com .
Educational Sponsorships: Educational efforts support youth and collegiate programs of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and scholarship endowments to U.S. Space Camp, in conjunction with Forest City Enterprise's "Mission to Malls," bringing the Space Camp experience to its shopping malls throughout the United States.
"Our value is in helping the world work in new and better ways," said Crum. "That can be challenging and uplifting. Perhaps this campaign will garner some interest in the stories we tell. But even more, we hope it promotes an attitude about learning and problem solving, especially among students. Because whether you aim to become an astronaut, a teacher, or even an engineer, real achievement begins with a belief that anything is possible."
With annual sales exceeding $6 billion, Parker Hannifin is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of commercial, mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. The company employs more than 45,000 people in 45 countries around the world. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.parker.com , or its investor information site at www.phstock.com .
SOURCE Parker Hannifin Corporation
CONTACT: John McAuley, Director, Public Relations of Brokaw, Inc., +1-216-241-8003, or jmccauley@brokaw.com ; or Jennifer Eaton, Manager, Communications of Parker Hannifin Corporation, +1-216-896-2895, or jeaton@parker.com
