Townsman, 1991-04, Page 11Stratford's
Image Maker
David Parson Associates keeps its small town feeling although
it operates in the international advertising market
By Dean Robinson
1
Dave Parson in his agency office: small town, big clients.
As Ellen Cole recalls, it was some-
thing fairly minor, and easy to alter.
Maybe a title too high, or a line of
copy in a different type size. Howev-
er, as the Stratford Festival's director
of communications, she wanted the
changes and asked the agency to make
them.
A few minutes later her phone rang
and a stern and projected voice pro-
nounced, "Ellen, this is God. The
piece is fine the way it is." To which
Cole replied, "Well God, what you're
forgetting is that I'm the client and I
want it changed." The heavens heaved
and changed it was.
Cole tells the story to illustrate what
she believes to be one of the major
strengths of David Parson Associates
Ltd., the small-town design and
advertising agency with the big-time
client base. She talks about attitude,
attention to detail, creativity and an
approach to each project that includes
more than a passing interest in what
the customer wants. "It all comes back
to listening to the needs of the client,"
says Cole, "and they do that. There
are lots of agencies that don't."
The story also hints at David Par-
son's sense of humor, though, out of
context, it might wrongly suggest he
dictates to the account which gener-
ates the most revenue for his Strat-
ford -based company. On the contrary.
After more than 25 years in the graph-
ic design business Parson takes little
for granted - - especially when much
of his business comes from arts orga-
nizations and government.
For Parson in the past quarter centu-
ry there has been a dissolved partner-
ship, changes in office space,
personnel shuffles, and more than a
few clients who have come up short in
the accounts receivable department.
Some bad seeds among the clover.
But through it all his company has
grown from grossing $60,000 in 1970
to $3 million in 1990.
More important, he is quick to note,
"I've really had a good time. I'm very
fortunate to be able to do what I do
and live in a community like this.
We've done some good work - we've
also laid some eggs - but I think we
have a good reputation." That work
and reputation are most widely known
and respected in the Canadian arts
community, though now there is also
Parson Advertising Inc., out of Clear-
water, Florida, and accounts with
Ruth Eckerd Hall, in that city, and
with the Brooklyn Academy of Music,
in New York.
And the govemment work is increas-
ing, at both the provincial and federal
TOWNSMAN/APRIL-MAY 1991 9