NOLAN SPA | PARABREZZA | 1975
Before There Was a Helmet, There Was a Windshield / NOLAN "PARABREZZA"
In 1975, Italian helmet maker NOLAN put out a short film. Its title was "PARABREZZA" — the Italian word for "windshield." A brand that was only three years old at the time used the ad to carve its own roots into the story.
The problem
NOLAN was founded in 1972 by Lander Nocchi near Bergamo, Italy. He had originally worked as a sales agent for motorcycle parts, dealing especially in parabrezza (windshields). Back then, helmets were almost all heavy, expensive fiberglass. Nocchi noticed LEXAN (polycarbonate), which NASA had just made available for civilian use, and began mass-producing helmets that were lighter and safer.
What happened
Records show this ad won GOLD at some award, though exactly which award it was, or what it was praised for, couldn't be confirmed.
Afterthought
Was naming the ad "PARABREZZA" a nod of respect to the founder's own origins, or was there some other intention behind it? That part I can't say for sure. But knowing that, more than 50 years later, NOLAN still makes everything in-house in Italy, it's hard not to imagine the pride that must have gone into this 1975 film. Sorry for the thin details on this one. But the footage itself still survives, so I really hope you get a chance to watch it.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 1975
