Reed Smith Defining purpose and delivering change
In 2015 UNIT responded to an rfp from global law firm Reed Smith for a re-brand exercise.
A 3 stage pitch against 8 others, including the US incumbent and Saatchi & Saatchi.
Originally a 3 month project to deliver :-
A competitive go to market positioning.
End line recommendation.
Initial graphic identity and treatment.
Reveal film for the annual Partner Retreat.
Our initial approach
An in-depth discovery period lasting 2 months.
A presentation of initial findings and recommendations included :-
Internal and External perceptions of Reed Smith
What clients say they are looking for in a law firm
Threat analysis both to Reed Smith and the legal sector in general
Language and behavioural conventions within the legal sector
Competitor positioning
Best practice from other professional services
Defining key elements of new compelling and engaging Reed Smith brand story
Defining key promise/purpose statement.
Endline recommendation.a new positioning
The big reveal
Unveiled at the annual partner retreat by GMP Sandy Thomas and CMO Sadie Baron, our recommended new positioning and brand line.
Delivering on a vision to change how people see law firms; that the law should be seen as a springboard to greater things rather than a necessity to overcome a hurdle.
Our internal mantra
‘Everything we do is with the purpose of driving progress for our clients, ourselves and our communities.’
Our new brand line,
Reed Smith. Driving progress through law
A flexible positioning
This gives us the opportunity to talk about every aspect of the firm’s activity with consistancy of purpose, giving the whole organisation a single point of focus.
A ‘north star’ by which to navigate everything they do.
Delivering change that sticks.
We were then asked by CMO Sadie Baron to help implement and deliver the new brand internally and externally.
To provide a framework within which change could happen, and most importantly, stick.
We identified 4 key aspects to the brand that would enable clean, comprehensive, firm wide comprehension and take up.
Language
Behaviour
Products
Process
Reed Smith_language
Brand writing workshops for all Marketing, Business Development and Regional Marketers to help them deliver the key Brand tone of voice and messaging.
An accompanying booklet of best practice with working exercises.
Awaiting development, a fully scoped out E-Learning Platform which incorporates live, real time peer to peer mentoring.
Designed to ‘train the trainers’, the platform will help to grow a culture of knowledge and expertise sharing, not information hoarding.
Biography rewrites of key staff to include brand messaging and purpose.
On-line content and literature re-writes and recommendation examples.
Reed Smith_behaviour
Brand Days we held across the network celebrating the new positioning and underlying it’s strategic and business importance.
We delivered Brand workshops in all 27 Reed Smith Global offices, either in person, or by film, accompanied in person by the local OMP.
Input gathered from Reed Smith staff of all disciplines was collated into recommendations for corporate cultural and behavioural changes that would help deliver ‘Driving Progress”
We have given leadership training and mentoring to the new Brand Director and also the recently appointed Design Lead.
We have advised Reed Smith HR on Learning & Development requirements and helped shape their latest recruitment protocols.
Reed Smith_products
We then worked with the client team to write, design abnd deliver a full range of assets and guidelines to rollout the brand.
Full design development guidelines and templates, delivering a consistent brand presence, whilst allowing for flexibility to take into account multiple stakeholder management
Film production:
Global Brand film
GMP/CMO scripting and filming
Pro-Bono thought piece scripting and filming
Physical Asset design, printing and delivery:
Full toolkit and merchandise.
App design
Senior partner portrait photography.
Reed Smith_process
Critical path analysis techniques were used in workshops with Reed Smith staff to identify best practice processes for a range of services and tasks.
(RFP response, client alerts, webinar production, bio updates etc)
Including, how to comply with the dreaded GDPR.
Training was given in person and by video to bring staff up to speed, and the critical path flowcharts, along with a checklist for success in each of the tasks were collated into ‘A Guide for Marketers and delivered to the whole function.
Reed Smith_process_project management
In a separate project we were asked to help Reed Smith define and educate as to best practice in project management.
Here the NYC based Renee Coletrane led the charge.
Once again, collaborative critical path sessions, best practice seminars and literature were the order of the day.
Reed Smith_german advertising campaign
Reed Smith asked us to deliver on our promise of being able to help anywhere and anyhow, by popping up a UNIT for them in Germany to deliver a recruitment campaign for the newly opened Frankfurt office.
Our German lead Florian Kahler kept our word, and we are delivering a second campaign for 2018, following a 30% lift in high value applicants resulting from the 2017 campaign.
Reed Smith_building an innovative new department
CMO Sadie Baron asked us to deliver a bold and game changing innovation.
A brand new department, delivering fast turn around, high churn, mission critical support.
RFPs, client alerts, web updates etc.
A training and a testing ground for new marketers.
Ensuring full attention is paid to these tasks, the move freed up more experienced marketers to concentrate on high level issues.
Working between the London, New York and Pittsburgh offices, UNIT consultants led by Renee Coletrane structured, recruited and trained the new team.