Putting it together

DLA Piper’s new global chief marketing officer discusses the nuts and bolts of launching a global brand.

By Jolene M. Overbeck, global chief marketing officer, DLA Piper

Creating a brand for any law firm is difficult, but doing so for a global law firm carries unique challenges. Most law-firm marketing professionals understand the trickiness of shepherding a brand project through consensus-based partnership decision-making, and the struggle of maintaining the creativity and originality of the ‘big idea’ while doing so. But the chief marketing officer (CMO) and project team behind a global brand must also develop a keen understanding of regional client and cultural considerations, and that requires building an international project team. Other success factors include ensuring firm leadership understands and supports the expenditures; having a project team with the necessary time, right spirit and perspective; recognising the new brand will encroach on deep-rooted attachments to an organisation’s past; and definitively linking the brand strategy to the firm’s core vision and strategy. Finally, let’s not forget Thomas Edison’s essential truth: “Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration.” However strong the concept and deep the research and consensus building, successful brands are built over a long period of intensive work - not only on external communication, but on constant internal communication so the law firm members also live the brand.

Building consensus

Branding is a strategic business undertaking, not simply a creative exercise. It can be an effective means of standing out in a crowded, competitive marketplace and an important step in achieving the law firm’s business strategy. An effective brand will also unify the firm behind a clear promise and commitment. Building an understanding of this in senior management ranks is central to a successful rollout. By being informed and knowledgeable about the branding rationale, firm leadership can rally the rest of the partnership and help build consensus.

In a global law firm, these leaders should include not just the managing partner, but practice and industry group leaders, office managing partners, associate group leaders, as well as key thought leaders more generally. The early involvement of those who have the power to derail the project at a later, critical stage is an important brand project-management strategy. It is essential not only to keep management fully briefed and verify their support before, during and after brand development, but also to ensure they feel involved throughout. Finally, make sure they are educated about the research foundation for the brand. It will ensure they have sufficient facts to manage their ranks effectively, Other key internal groups who should be brought into the project environment quickly include leaders of human resources; knowledge management; operations; finance; Information Technology; recruitment; diversity; pro bono; associate groups, and a number of other areas. They will all have roles to play in the brand launch.

Forging the project team

Before the project team is created, ensure the firm leadership understands the branding campaign objectives and completely supports it. It is the CMO’s role to present a strong business case; describe the costs that will be committed to the effort, and assess whether there is the right level of support. The business case should be presented to the managing partner and other leaders identified across the firm.

Only then should the project commence with the creation of an international project team. A team representing just one region of the global law firm cannot adequately represent the client needs and cultural differences of a whole firm. Gaining buy-in to the brand without a team representing key markets around the world will also be difficult. It is important to incorporate input and views from various cultures.

To build a branding team with the right talent, it is then necessary to identify who will provide:

Strategic leadership. Someone focused on the big picture and knowledgeable overall about the firm;
Design leadership. Someone who can lead the execution of the strategy into a new visual identity;
Communications leadership. Someone who can articulate the key messages in an effective and persuasive manner;
Web and interactive leadership. Someone who understands the online space and can bring the brand to life in this medium;
Project-management leadership. Someone who can create and manage the project plan, keep steps on track, facilitate interactions within and outside the team, and report on progress;
Input from other key firm groups. Representatives of other internal groups should be viewed as extensions of the project team.

However, choosing the right external branding agency is just as important. The external agency will bring its experience of building brands for other clients to your project. Consider the following when selecting an agency:

The branding agency should have a geographic footprint that roughly matches the law firm’s. You will then benefit from broader strategic and creative thinking, as well as experience and understanding of the cultural nuances that need to be considered. Convincing international colleagues the new brand is globally appropriate will be hard if the agency is only present in one country;
Seek out the best and brightest agencies with enough critical mass to execute large-scale brand implementations. Failing to secure adequate outside resources can seriously undermine deployment. Think through the various phases and places the brand will have to be deployed and consider the communication requirements. Issuing a request for proposal (RFP) that clearly states requirements is essential to keep project costs in line. Then evaluate the RFP responses with your international team and shortlist three agencies;
Next, review and ask detailed questions about projects the agency has executed of a similar scope. Again, include your international working team in evaluation of the creative. Analyse the creative to see if the work is continuously fresh. Ensure you also have confidence in the agency’s own project manager as that individual will be critical to ensuring the agency meets your deadlines.
To ensure your brand does not resemble that of other firms, look outside the category of agencies that work primarily for law firms. Consider talent that has developed strategies and creative work in other industries. They may not fully understand the legal business, but that is what your international working team brings to the table.
Branding projects are long, sweaty projects, so make sure you also have some fun along the way. Select an agency with which your internal team has a natural rapport.

Finally, define the roles and responsibilities for project-team members, and develop a clear plan with concrete milestones. Technology can help the team work together seamlessly across borders, while Web-based ‘e-rooms’ can house project
plans and other working documents. However, nothing can replace personal interaction and communication at critical project junctures.

Now you are set to roll.

Creating the research foundation

Adequate research with your key audiences is the foundation of any successful branding initiative. It will ensure your brand is perceived positively; makes an emotional connection; and is relevant and special. Furthermore, when the inevitable personal likes and dislikes surface within the firm, the most effective sales points for the new brand will be client and internal comments.

One element of a successful brand is that it stands out in the crowd. So the research phase of creating your global brand begins with looking at your competitive set. Review competitor websites and marketing materials, and examine how each firm is portrayed in the media. Only by understanding them can you understand where, why, and how your firm is different or better.

Your research should include interviews with clients, prospects, potential recruits and laterals, your internal constituency and even competing firms. These discussions will reveal their perception of your firm – you may find it different from what you believe internally! Finally, you should conduct research across your geographic footprint to ensure your brand is relevant and appropriate in your regional markets.

The findings will help you to frame a strategy that typically includes a positioning statement (setting the firm apart from its competitors) and describes its unique personality traits and core brand values.

Creative decisions

Then, with your strategy defined, your team assembled, and research conducted, the real fun can begin – creative development. Some of the critical elements to consider when bringing a brand to life are colour, imagery, tone, and language.

Much has been studied and written about colour and its associations within various cultures. As more brands globalise, colour may be becoming less of an issue, but it is still wise to consider cultural differences when making such decisions. It is not advisable to use orange hues when marketing in the Middle East, nor black in Asia Pacific. Tuning in to some basic cultural sensitivities up front can help to avoid major disruptions down the road.

With regards to imagery, generally the safest route is to avoid looking ‘too anything’. Rather than using imagery that is clearly British or Chinese or American, aim for photos or illustrations that are distinctive, but culturally neutral. Focus on imagery that conveys your brand personality. If your brand is defined by characteristics such as ‘challenging’, ‘smart’, ‘savvy’, or ‘trusted’, make sure your imagery conveys this.

Your brand voice, visual and verbal, has enormous potential to help convey this. Is the brand serious, quirky, energetic? Factor this into the creative development. Language can also impact how the brand is perceived by a global audience. Are your materials written in British English or American English? Is there a hybrid English developed to accommodate all markets? Should they be translated into local languages?

Executing, communicating and ‘living’ the brand

With the behind-the-scenes work completed, it is now time to launch the new brand to the firm. Timing is everything, so consider the many elements that will need to be coordinated for brand launch. Develop a detailed plan to identify and orchestrate the date, time, and place(s) for the launch; what will happen as part of the launch; who will participate; and with whom you will communicate. Senior leadership should play a prominent role in any and all activities to send a clear signal about the importance of the brand and how it will help the firm execute its business strategy. Key messages need to be formulated and infused throughout the brand-launch materials, as well as follow-up materials distributed post-launch. Select the right channels and applications to present the new brand to ensure the most impact. Consider whether there will there be an e-mail blast each day before the launch. A video broadcast on the firm’s intranet? Materials delivered to all lawyers and staff? Posters in the firm’s offices? There may also be an opportunity to get people together for an in-person announcement. A multi-faceted plan incorporating many of these elements will create the most impact for your launch.

As you approach the ‘full-court press’ phase of the launch, momentum will be strong, new challenges will crop up, and tensions may be higher than normal among team members.
It is easy to delay the launch until everything is set and approved and re-worked, but with a project so big, you have to set what can seem like unachievable deadlines and then meet them. Push yourself! This attitude will not only help you get through this demanding time, but also generates a wealth of positive energy and teamwork. The momentum will drive you; the energy will reward you.

Once the new brand has been launched, the job of internalising it has just begun. The most successful launches include a programme with communications tools and ongoing training to reinforce the strategic rationale and importance of the brand continually, and how everyone at the firm can contribute to its success. From the way that a receptionist answers the phone, to the way an office manager prepares a lunch meeting and a lawyer advises a client, all actions must reflect what the brand stands for. All individuals can help to proliferate the progress of the brand with their own actions, but you have to tell them how to do it. So in structuring these communications, it is important to remember it is a long-term commitment that must be executed in various ways. A phased, multi-media approach will help people digest the messages at different times and in different ways. There is no single way to get it done. The key is in the mix.

When your new brand has built up traction among the lawyers and staff, you must establish desired brand actions for all your people so they can deliver on the brand in their daily work. This is true of all brands, but is especially important for law firms, where the face-to-face interactions between lawyers and clients are key to building a successful relationship. How does a lawyer in Munich deliver a consistent level and style of service as his or her counterpart in Beijing or Los Angeles? This can and should be a reflection of the brand actions.

No two brand-development efforts are the same. The only common denominator is that all such efforts will encounter multiple challenges that must be managed and overcome. With thorough planning, strategic thinking, the proper support, and a winning team, however, you will be well on your way to success.

Jolene M. Overbeck is global chief marketing officer at DLA Piper. She can be contacted at jolene.overbeck@dlapiper.com