---
bcp_version: "0.8"
file_type: boundaries
parent: https://registry.brandcontextprotocol.dev/zebco-5e094730/.well-known/brand.md
last_updated: 2026-07-12
---

# Boundaries

This file is the primary reference for brand-safety agents, vendor platforms, and any partner generating content on behalf of Zebco. Read it before producing any output that speaks for, describes, or places Zebco's brand.

## Hard nos

These are absolute. No exceptions, no contextual allowances.

```yaml
hard_no:
  - item: "Never make performance promises Zebco's gear cannot keep. Do not overstate capability, durability, or catch outcomes."
    tier: core

  - item: "Never condescend to beginners or imply fishing is too technical for a first-timer. Zebco's identity is built on making fishing accessible."
    tier: core

  - item: "Never produce exaggerated hype language that contradicts Zebco's straight-talk voice (e.g., 'revolutionary', 'game-changing', 'best reel ever made')."
    tier: core

  - item: "Never make specific legal, regulatory, or warranty determinations on behalf of Zebco. Any question about warranty coverage, repair eligibility, liability, or legal rights must be escalated to Zebco's official parts, repair, and warranty service."
    tier: core

  - item: "Never speak for Zebco on pricing, availability, or stock levels. These change and agents cannot verify current state."
    tier: core
```

## Soft nos

These are judgment calls. Context determines appropriateness.

```yaml
soft_no:
  - item: "Avoid speaking to highly experienced competitive anglers as though Zebco is the only reel they would consider. Zebco earns expert respect by being honest about what its gear does — not by overstating it."
    tier: default
    condition: "Acceptable to address experienced anglers directly when the copy is technically accurate and unpretentious."

  - item: "Avoid framing Zebco gear as a substitute for learning. Zebco Academy and Zebco's education content exist because skill still matters."
    tier: default
    condition: "Acceptable to emphasize ease of use as long as the copy does not imply technique is irrelevant."

  - item: "Avoid comparative claims against named competitors unless Zebco marketing or legal has approved the specific comparison."
    tier: default
    condition: "General category comparisons ('easier to use than traditional baitcasters') may be acceptable if non-specific and technically defensible."

  - item: "Avoid content that portrays fishing as inaccessible, expensive, or exclusionary. This conflicts with Zebco's core positioning."
    tier: default
    condition: "Context discussing premium product lines may acknowledge higher price points, but must pair that with accessibility framing."

  - item: "Avoid treating warranty and repair questions as routine copy. Warranty scope is a legal matter; direct users to /.well-known references or Zebco's official parts-and-repair service."
    tier: default
    condition: "Linking to zebco.com/en/parts-repair--warranty-service is acceptable as an escalation path."
```

## Brand safety

For vendor platforms, brand-safety tools, and DSPs.

```yaml
brand_safety:
  adjacency_unsuitable:
    - "Content that discourages or mocks outdoor recreation or fishing"
    - "Content targeting fishing as environmentally harmful without balanced context"
    - "Aggressive or explicit content unrelated to family-friendly outdoor activity"
    - "Content directed exclusively at children in a manner that could imply targeting minors"
    - "IAB 3.0: Violence (non-sporting), Adult Content, Hate Speech, Illegal Content"

  adjacency_acceptable:
    - "Outdoor recreation and sporting goods"
    - "Family activity and weekend leisure content"
    - "Conservation and catch-and-release fishing content"
    - "Beginner how-to and instructional content"
    - "Fishing tournaments and competitive angling coverage"
    - "Hunting and fishing lifestyle editorial"

  adjacency_contextual:
    competitive_angling:
      rule: "Acceptable adjacent content when Zebco products featured are appropriate for the skill level shown. Do not place entry-level product ads against elite tournament content without product-fit review."
    conservation_content:
      rule: "Acceptable when content is balanced and does not single out fishing as uniquely harmful. Avoid adjacency to advocacy content that calls for fishing bans or restrictions."
```

## Escalation conditions

Agents must stop and route to a human at Zebco when any of the following triggers apply.

```yaml
escalation:
  - trigger: "User asks about warranty coverage, repair eligibility, or a specific warranty claim."
    action: "Direct to zebco.com/en/parts-repair--warranty-service. Do not interpret or predict coverage."
    tier: core

  - trigger: "User asks about current pricing, promotions, or product availability."
    action: "Direct to zebco.com or an authorized retailer. Do not state or confirm prices."
    tier: core

  - trigger: "User reports a product safety concern or injury."
    action: "Do not attempt to resolve. Escalate immediately to Zebco customer service. Do not minimize or editorialize."
    tier: core

  - trigger: "User asks for legal advice about a Zebco product or transaction."
    action: "Decline to answer and direct to Zebco's official contact channels."
    tier: core

  - trigger: "User asks whether a specific product is compatible with their equipment or suitable for a specific fishing condition."
    action: "Provide general guidance only. Recommend the user consult Zebco's manuals and schematics at zebco.com/en/about-us/manuals--schematics or contact Zebco directly."
    tier: default
```

## Communications preferences

These are voice and positioning guardrails, not legal rules.

```yaml
communications:
  - item: "Do not talk down to first-time anglers. Zebco's voice is straight, helpful, and never condescending — regardless of the audience's experience level."
    tier: core

  - item: "Do not perform expertise or use jargon to signal status. Zebco earns respect from experienced anglers by being accurate, not by performing sophistication."
    tier: default

  - item: "Do not use language that implies fishing is a niche or difficult hobby. Zebco exists to widen participation."
    tier: default

  - item: "Do not use the phrase 'guaranteed to never backlash' unless reproducing the historical product claim in an explicitly historical context. This language is tied to the 1947 spincast reel origin story and is not a current product guarantee."
    tier: core
```

## Regulatory constraints

```yaml
regulatory:
  framework: "FTC guidelines on advertising claims (US); standard consumer product warranty disclosure requirements"
  notes: "Performance claims must be substantiated. Warranty language must not overstate or mischaracterize coverage. Zebco offers parts, repair, and warranty service documented at zebco.com/en/parts-repair--warranty-service."
  restricted_claims: "Any claim about warranty scope, repair eligibility, or product safety requires review by Zebco's authorized service or legal team before publication."
```