Defence contractor BAE rebuilds image with new campaign

The campaign is targeted at the political and customer community, investors, suppliers, industrial partners and the BAE's employees. The publicity drive comes after negative press following a Serious Fraud Office investigation of alleged bribery in an arms deal between the UK and Saudi Arabia, which the SFO dropped under Ministerial pressure.

The ads will run in national and regional newspapers, along with political, business and current affairs magazines. A fleet of giant mobile poster sites will tour regions in which BAE Systems has a significant industrial presence and it will place advertising wraps in both London and Farnborough.

Sara Hirsch, director of brand and communications strategy at BAE Systems, said: 'It is more than five years since we last ran a major advertising campaign in the UK and we felt the time was right to remind our key stakeholders of the central role we play in the UK industrial sector.'

The campaign, developed by RKCR/Young & Rubicam and Media Planning Group,

has the theme 'Real Pride, Real Advantage.' It stresses the defence and aerospace company's commitment to the UK, featuring three key themes - innovation, training and contribution to the national economy through the supply chain

Headquartered in London, BAE Systems has developed into a global business based around six home markets - Australia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, the UK and the US.

This article was first published on Marketing