Marketing During Wartime

Periods of crisis tend to bring out the best and worst in people. From an institutional standpoint, this is one time when cooler heads need to prevail and stricter attention needs to be paid to the image your firm conveys to the outside world.
On the other hand, some law firm marketers also view this period as a time of opportunity for reinforcing client relationships and building business in specialty areas.
Gauge The Effect On Long-Term Strategic Plans And Implementation
'I'm not familiar with any near-term impact of this war on any law firm's marketing programs,' Norm Rubenstein, partner of DC-based Zeughauser Group, says. 'Nothing has been canceled.'
Instead, he thinks law firms are preparing more measured, strategic responses that will affect future programs: 'As the economy has continued to stay weak, and as people are speculating that the war will have increasing effects on that downturn, law firms are taking a 'wait and see' attitude on whether, over time, they'll need to scale back their marketing activities or hold them at a constant level.'
Many law firms launch their new marketing programs based on a calendar year budget. Dollar-intensive items are planned for during the last quarter of the previous year, and then implemented in the first half of the new year. 'In 2003,' says Rubenstein, 'I believe a lot of programs will start off at a slower pace. People will be reluctant to commit funds until they see the effects of the war on our economy.' He adds, 'I suspect there may be a slower ramp-up of marketing activities as a result of this.'
Review All Campaign Copy and Images
'Advertising campaigns always need to be reviewed for unintended meanings. That responsibility takes on greater weight during a time of conflict,' says Burkey Belser, president and creative director of brand design firm Greenfield/Belser, Washington, DC. 'For one of our clients, we opted against using an image of a subway train, given our Code Marketing During Wartime