<b><i>Business of Branding:</i></b> Seven Signs You Should Be Thinking About a Rebrand

Everybody ' especially lawyers ' likes new bright, shiny toys and that's all well and good. But just because you want a new “look and feel” doesn't mean you should enter into a lengthy, complex and potentially expensive rebranding project. There are a number of “signs,” though, that might indicate you should consider rebranding or at least refreshing your firm's brand.

Caveats

Before we discuss the “signs,” it is wise to remember the caveats to rebranding.

Remember, your brand is not just your logo. Your brand is the promise that you make to your various stakeholders. For example, if you tell your clients that you will come up with innovative legal solutions to their problems, then your brand is centered around “innovation.” The logo, on the other hand, is a visual representation of the brand promise, so the logo should communicate, through color, typography or mark, a sense of innovation.

Another thing to be wary of is the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality. Just because your closest competitors (or even your aspirational ones) have rebranded, it doesn't mean that you have to. For a new (or refreshed) brand to really succeed, it needs to have a clear, strategic purpose and it must have the full support of firm leadership.

One last point about brands: They are living things ' not in the sense of actually breathing beings, but brands should grow and evolve over time. You don't just develop a brand and then do nothing. As an organization changes, so should its message to the marketplace, so you need to ensure that your brand remains consistent with who you are or who you want to be.

Sign 1: Your Current Brand Is Almost a Teenager

Most large, sophisticated organizations (including many clients) routinely review and refresh their brands. Brands typically have a life span of 10 years, so if your current branding is close to (or more than) 10 years old, then it may be time to take a good, hard look at your visual identity and the underlying messaging. It may not be necessary to do much of anything (other than maybe to tighten things up a bit or make a slight adjustment) but your brand is worth a periodic review.

Also, with marketing technology continuing to change at an ever-increasing rate, ensuring that your brand works well across all digital platforms is critical for being perceived as a modern, forward-thinking law firm. Websites tend to last for maybe five to six years (at most). After that, their technology (and often their design) is outmoded and old-fashioned. Remember too that social media sites frequently update their interfaces, changing the specifications for logos and other elements you use to brand your pages.

Sign 2: They're a Client? Really? I Had No Idea

Over time, a firm's client base changes. Your client list from 2005 may look quite a bit different from your current client list. If that's the case, then it may be that your 2005 brand doesn't speak to your 2015 client base. For example, if you have a significant number of technology companies on your client list now and your current logo features a Times Roman typeface and no (or very muted) color, your tech clients may not think you understand the importance of innovation and creativity, things tech companies thrive on. You don't have to change your branding just to please clients, but it does help client relationships (both attracting new clients and making current ones feel good about their choice of law firm) if your branding resonates with clients. So take a look at your current client list, see if any trends jump out at you and then determine if your current branding speaks to your general client profile.

Sign 3: Lawyers Without Borders

If your geographic footprint has changed, especially if you have added offices outside of the U.S., it may be a good idea to take a look at your branding from a more cosmopolitan perspective. What works in one part of the world may not in another. For example, certain colors telegraph certain messages in some cultures: Red in China symbolizes “good luck,” but in South Africa, red represents mourning. As you work on your visual identity, make sure you think through and are culturally sensitive to the markets in which you have offices and clients.

Even if you don't have offices outside of the U.S. but you've added offices in other states (or in other cities in your home state), ensuring that your branding isn't too parochial is a good idea. Chances are, your clients aren't too regionally focused ' so if your branding communicates a broader perspective, it may help you attract new clients and make your current clients feel comfortable that you can help them wherever they need you. That's not to say that you can't be “The Rocky Mountain Law Firm” or “The Bay Area's Law Firm” if you want. Just recognize that that kind of branding brings with it some limitations.

Sign 4: Updated Strategy/Updated Brand

“If” your firm has a strategic plan (and it's amazing how many firms don't), then it's likely that it has changed since the first iteration. Many firms develop five-year strategic plans; routinely review those plans over the five years to ensure they are on track; and then revisit/rework the plan at the end of the five years. You don't need to rebrand every five years, but your branding should support your strategic plan, and the underlying messaging for your brand should come right from the strategic plan. The “mission” or “vision” statement is the best place to look at your brand messaging, so as your strategic plan evolves over time, make sure your brand does as well.

Sign 5: Engaged and Getting Married?

If you've recently begun the “merger mambo” or are actively looking for merger partners, a rebrand or refresh might be a good idea. It may not be an ideal time to jump into a rebranding project (because of all the other work involved with mergers) but it may help you “package” your firm and tell your story to potential merger partners. If you do end up merging, then it's possible you'll have a new name (which would necessitate reworking all branded materials right away), and you may have new practices and possibly new offices, which will likely require you to develop new messaging as well as a new visual identity.

Sign 6: What's in a Name? A LOT!

Most law firms have a “street name,” the name that is commonly used by clients and the media. If your “street name” and your legal name are not the same (which is often the case), a rebrand is a good opportunity to make those two names consistent. If nothing else, the shorter name is cleaner, and your risk management people may think it's a great idea. If your new logo won't feature the entire legal name of your firm, you may have to include the legal entity name somewhere on the printed piece or in the footer of a website homepage. Also, if you don't include the abbreviation for how your firm is organized legally ( e.g. , LLP, LP, PC, etc.) in the logo (many firms don't) then you will likely need to include that designation somewhere near where the logo appears, such as in a footer or someplace relatively near the logo.

Sign 7: Your Receptionist Spends More Time Saying The Firm Name Than Helping Who's Calling

If your firm name has more than two names, a rebrand is the perfect time to consider shortening it. One firm I worked for had six partner names in its name. It took forever for anyone to say the entire name. Of the largest 200 law firms in the U.S., 120 (60%) have two names or less in their names.

Additionally, having a shorter name:

Communicates a sense of “institution” rather than group of individuals;

• Denotes a more modern law firm;
• Reinforces your “street name” (which is often one or two names);
• Works better with social media (especially SEO) and emerging technologies; and
• Is easier to say and repeat (especially in media interviews).

So, it's pretty clear that if your firm name has more than two names in it, it might be time to seriously think about a rebrand.

Conclusion

For additional tips on rebranding, see my article titled “The Grand Rebrand: Tips and Tricks from the Frontline,” Marketing the Law Firm, January 2015, http://bit.ly/1GWKsAi.

A 15-year veteran of law firm marketing (and three law firm rebrands), John J. Buchanan, Director of Public Relations at Reed Smith LLP and a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, has more than 25 years of strategic branding, marketing, communications and business development experience. Reach him at [email protected]. Phone: 415-659-4812.

Everybody ' especially lawyers ' likes new bright, shiny toys and that's all well and good. But just because you want a new “look and feel” doesn't mean you should enter into a lengthy, complex and potentially expensive rebranding project. There are a number of “signs,” though, that might indicate you should consider rebranding or at least refreshing your firm's brand.

Caveats

Before we discuss the “signs,” it is wise to remember the caveats to rebranding.

Remember, your brand is not just your logo. Your brand is the promise that you make to your various stakeholders. For example, if you tell your clients that you will come up with innovative legal solutions to their problems, then your brand is centered around “innovation.” The logo, on the other hand, is a visual representation of the brand promise, so the logo should communicate, through color, typography or mark, a sense of innovation.

Another thing to be wary of is the “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality. Just because your closest competitors (or even your aspirational ones) have rebranded, it doesn't mean that you have to. For a new (or refreshed) brand to really succeed, it needs to have a clear, strategic purpose and it must have the full support of firm leadership.

One last point about brands: They are living things ' not in the sense of actually breathing beings, but brands should grow and evolve over time. You don't just develop a brand and then do nothing. As an organization changes, so should its message to the marketplace, so you need to ensure that your brand remains consistent with who you are or who you want to be.

Sign 1: Your Current Brand Is Almost a Teenager

Most large, sophisticated organizations (including many clients) routinely review and refresh their brands. Brands typically have a life span of 10 years, so if your current branding is close to (or more than) 10 years old, then it may be time to take a good, hard look at your visual identity and the underlying messaging. It may not be necessary to do much of anything (other than maybe to tighten things up a bit or make a slight adjustment) but your brand is worth a periodic review.

Also, with marketing technology continuing to change at an ever-increasing rate, ensuring that your brand works well across all digital platforms is critical for being perceived as a modern, forward-thinking law firm. Websites tend to last for maybe five to six years (at most). After that, their technology (and often their design) is outmoded and old-fashioned. Remember too that social media sites frequently update their interfaces, changing the specifications for logos and other elements you use to brand your pages.

Sign 2: They're a Client? Really? I Had No Idea

Over time, a firm's client base changes. Your client list from 2005 may look quite a bit different from your current client list. If that's the case, then it may be that your 2005 brand doesn't speak to your 2015 client base. For example, if you have a significant number of technology companies on your client list now and your current logo features a Times Roman typeface and no (or very muted) color, your tech clients may not think you understand the importance of innovation and creativity, things tech companies thrive on. You don't have to change your branding just to please clients, but it does help client relationships (both attracting new clients and making current ones feel good about their choice of law firm) if your branding resonates with clients. So take a look at your current client list, see if any trends jump out at you and then determine if your current branding speaks to your general client profile.

Sign 3: Lawyers Without Borders

If your geographic footprint has changed, especially if you have added offices outside of the U.S., it may be a good idea to take a look at your branding from a more cosmopolitan perspective. What works in one part of the world may not in another. For example, certain colors telegraph certain messages in some cultures: Red in China symbolizes “good luck,” but in South Africa, red represents mourning. As you work on your visual identity, make sure you think through and are culturally sensitive to the markets in which you have offices and clients.

Even if you don't have offices outside of the U.S. but you've added offices in other states (or in other cities in your home state), ensuring that your branding isn't too parochial is a good idea. Chances are, your clients aren't too regionally focused ' so if your branding communicates a broader perspective, it may help you attract new clients and make your current clients feel comfortable that you can help them wherever they need you. That's not to say that you can't be “The Rocky Mountain Law Firm” or “The Bay Area's Law Firm” if you want. Just recognize that that kind of branding brings with it some limitations.

Sign 4: Updated Strategy/Updated Brand

“If” your firm has a strategic plan (and it's amazing how many firms don't), then it's likely that it has changed since the first iteration. Many firms develop five-year strategic plans; routinely review those plans over the five years to ensure they are on track; and then revisit/rework the plan at the end of the five years. You don't need to rebrand every five years, but your branding should support your strategic plan, and the underlying messaging for your brand should come right from the strategic plan. The “mission” or “vision” statement is the best place to look at your brand messaging, so as your strategic plan evolves over time, make sure your brand does as well.

Sign 5: Engaged and Getting Married?

If you've recently begun the “merger mambo” or are actively looking for merger partners, a rebrand or refresh might be a good idea. It may not be an ideal time to jump into a rebranding project (because of all the other work involved with mergers) but it may help you “package” your firm and tell your story to potential merger partners. If you do end up merging, then it's possible you'll have a new name (which would necessitate reworking all branded materials right away), and you may have new practices and possibly new offices, which will likely require you to develop new messaging as well as a new visual identity.

Sign 6: What's in a Name? A LOT!

Most law firms have a “street name,” the name that is commonly used by clients and the media. If your “street name” and your legal name are not the same (which is often the case), a rebrand is a good opportunity to make those two names consistent. If nothing else, the shorter name is cleaner, and your risk management people may think it's a great idea. If your new logo won't feature the entire legal name of your firm, you may have to include the legal entity name somewhere on the printed piece or in the footer of a website homepage. Also, if you don't include the abbreviation for how your firm is organized legally ( e.g. , LLP, LP, PC, etc.) in the logo (many firms don't) then you will likely need to include that designation somewhere near where the logo appears, such as in a footer or someplace relatively near the logo.

Sign 7: Your Receptionist Spends More Time Saying The Firm Name Than Helping Who's Calling

If your firm name has more than two names, a rebrand is the perfect time to consider shortening it. One firm I worked for had six partner names in its name. It took forever for anyone to say the entire name. Of the largest 200 law firms in the U.S., 120 (60%) have two names or less in their names.

Additionally, having a shorter name:

Communicates a sense of “institution” rather than group of individuals;

• Denotes a more modern law firm;
• Reinforces your “street name” (which is often one or two names);
• Works better with social media (especially SEO) and emerging technologies; and
• Is easier to say and repeat (especially in media interviews).

So, it's pretty clear that if your firm name has more than two names in it, it might be time to seriously think about a rebrand.

Conclusion

For additional tips on rebranding, see my article titled “The Grand Rebrand: Tips and Tricks from the Frontline,” Marketing the Law Firm, January 2015, http://bit.ly/1GWKsAi.

A 15-year veteran of law firm marketing (and three law firm rebrands), John J. Buchanan, Director of Public Relations at Reed Smith LLP and a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, has more than 25 years of strategic branding, marketing, communications and business development experience. Reach him at [email protected]. Phone: 415-659-4812.