By Melanie Green, Director of Business Development & Marketing of Baker & Daniels LLP in Indianapolis, IN. She can be reached at 317.237.1334 and Melanie.Green@bakerd.com.
After I joined Baker & Daniels just under three years ago, the most frequent advice I was given when inquiring about how to achieve success was to "keep my hands off the logo." As a newcomer to the firm with a lot to learn, I listened to that advice...well, for the first year and a half that is.
Within that timeframe, we had built a very strong internal business development and marketing team. Our production guys were doing everything they could to enhance our visual identity while working within the confines of the firm's logo suite. However, the logo itself was not where our need for enhancement ended.
- Our entire visual identity required a makeover.
- We were scattered, lacked consistency across offices and our newly-integrated consulting division was operating with a completely different look and feel.
- The straw that broke the camel’s back came when the firm committed to be a founding partner of Lucas Oil Stadium (host of the 2012 Super Bowl). Through that partnership, our visual identity was about to be featured in a first-class venue reaching local, national and international audiences.
 So despite the advice given, our in-house team set out with a mission to achieve a successful identity launch in the late summer of 2007.
Internal selling process
Baker & Daniels is a 370-lawyer firm with seven offices across Indiana, Chicago, Washington, DC and Beijing. Founded in 1863, the firm today offers services in more than 40 practices and industries. B&D Consulting, a division of Baker & Daniels since 1985, is a national advisory and advocacy firm in Washington, DC. The consulting firm expanded to serve the property tax industry in 2007 with the addition of the B&D Equity Property Tax Group in Chicago.
After recognizing the difficulties with the previous identity launches over the past 10 years, our rejuvenated marketing team was up to the challenge, but knew this time had to be different. We had to "sell" this re-visualization across the firm's constituencies and do so with the least expense possible. Our team had to convince the firm why a new visual identity was needed -- and why it was needed now. Many hours were spent in group and one-on-one meetings to engage professionals across all levels. Discussions started with the firm's executive committee and then targeted partners. Younger, progressive associates were called into the process to help drive the initiative. A compelling presentation was created and presented often to illustrate the need for change. (Have you ever taken a moment to compare the identities of the firms whose name includes "Baker"? It’s shocking really.)
Our internal team conducted a comprehensive study on material use, color display and comparative images across the firm's lawyers and consulting professionals. Many corporate re-branding efforts were researched in an effort to find inspiration for a theme or process to make the effort successful and memorable. The key was to develop something that could add excitement to the process and become engaging.
As we all know, change is often (dare I say always) difficult. We were aware that many across the firm were resistant and that they were the ones who would ultimately have to change their routines, learn new document procedures and help police usage of new materials. Piecing together anecdotal stories from past attempts, we also knew that if any old materials were left behind, they would continue to be used, potentially jeopardizing the firm's new visual identity. All materials would have to be collected and disposed of quickly to avoid that possibility.
 The brainstorm and the plan
With a clear outline of the task at hand and awareness of the obstacles we faced, the team elected to theme the initiative with a comedic touch. In a brainstorming session, we all got "on board" with a 70's-styled airline theme titled "Flight 317" - indicating our launch date of March 17, 2008, and also the Indianapolis telephone area code. (For the Irish, of course "luck" played into some of the strategy development!)
Although planning would take months, the team set out to achieve the actual transition from old to new across all offices in a choreographed two-week process. In a weeklong promotion prior to launch, "Flight 317" materials were delivered, including an itinerary of events and a packing list of items for pick-up and disposal. The effort also needed to correspond with the firm's "greening" effort, and so a vendor was secured to pick up and recycle all outdated materials. Pens, letter openers, coasters and reusable water bottles - all with inscribed logo - were distributed to help employees visualize the new identity.
The following week we took flight. Our team, the Flight 317 Crew, hand-delivered "flight instructions" each morning and circled back to collect old materials twice a day. On the first day of the launch, some marketing team members even dressed the part of flight crew members and visited each individual to deliver new letterhead and business cards. Delivery also including a "flight safety card" detailing the new identity changes and guidelines for quick reference. Large like-styled posters were displayed in strategic areas in all offices to detail new branding standards. In addition, a detailed style guide was developed and made readily accessible on the firm's Intranet. To continue to promote collection of old marketing materials, prize drawings were offered daily.
Easing the apprehension of skeptics
Though all members of the audience were not very receptive at first to the idea of a new visual identity for the firm, the unique elements of the themed launch set them at ease. A week after the official launch, we officially called it a success as apprehension disappeared. Individual attention and focus shifted to new matters when more important issues of the day arose. The measurement of success was evident by attention soon turning to normal operations. Nearly a year later, it seems as though the visual identity has been around for years.
In the end, all the credit in the world goes to the in-house team of creative, energetic and resilient marketing professionals who showed true dedication and devotion to pulling off this mission, and of course to the firm's management for entrusting us to utilize a unique approach this go round. We were humbled and extremely honored to be recognized by the Chicago LMA Chapter at its 2009 Your Honor Awards for our Flight 317 identity launch. It was a nice culmination to a launch that has not only elevated the firm's visual identity, but brought us closer together as an in-house team with a mission to do our part in advancing the goals and vision of a great law firm. With that...we're off to tackle our next big project! |
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