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Branding has never been a great priority for law firms. Historically, the legal sector has been highly regulated, not to mention a traditional one, with elements such as branding and advertising being generally frowned upon.
For many law firms, the “brand” has been the names of partners, as clients usually turned to specific partners on the basis of their reputation or expertise. But mindsets within the legal industry have started to change in the past few years, says Zayn Khan, CEO for Southeast Asia at brand consultancy Dragon Rouge.
One reason has been the liberalisation of legal markets across the globe, leading to big international players competing toe-to-toe with local incumbents, thus putting pressure on the latter to rethink and redefine their offerings and brands. A similar effect has come from partners – particularly name partners – leaving established outfits to strike out on their own. Additionally, mergers within the legal industry have led to firms losing their distinctiveness in terms of their unique personalities and positioning, observes Khan.
Finally, law firms need to embrace branding because the right brand can help to attract the best talent. The needs of today’s employees are different from the previous generations’. In particular, millennials want to be associated with an employer that has a well-defined purpose, and are known for making contributions to the world, explains Khan.
STANDING OUT
Khan says that law firms need to think deeper about what sets them apart from their competitors. “Do they have a unique philosophy, tools or ideology that makes them different from the competition?” he asks.
Similarly, delivering the right story or message to prospective clients and employees is important. Important elements include the way the message is packaged, the uniqueness of the communication style, as well as the personality and tone of the website and other communications materials.
“Be clear about your brand value that distinguishes your culture from other law firms,” says Khan. “Law firms need to think harder about what makes them unique, and this needs to be translated visually through logos, colours, text, and photographs.”
ZAYN KHAN OF DRAGON ROUGE ON THE BRANDING OF SINGAPORE’S BIG FOUR
Allen & Gledhill:“They have an excellent reputation, but there is no unique brand positioning. While they highlight their strong heritage, they also come across as conservative. But other than that, it is hard to tell if they are unique. A&G needs to find a distinct voice and a way of telling their story.
Drew & Napier: “Their tagline is ‘Altogether exceptional’, and it denotes being ahead of the competition. Their professional image is hard-hitting, and their photographs are well-chosen. However, I don’t see it as greatly different from other top firms, most of whom highlight their industry expertise as well.”
Rajah & Tann: “They have positioned themselves as being experts on Asia, and their visual identity uses iconic Asian imagery to emphasise that. They are very single-minded in that respect. That said, how relevant is it to local clients? Their distinctive proposition might not be attractive to their home market.”
WongPartnership:“Their positioning focuses on their relationship with clients. They also cast themselves as the challenger. When you are a challenger, you can be bold and innovative in terms of products and how you communicate. Their visual identity is contemporary, bold and inspirational.”