Bingham Dana Unveils International Advertising Campaign; Old-Line Firm Develops Contemporary, Humorous Ads.

Business Editors & Legal Writers

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2001

Bingham Dana LLP, one of Boston's oldest law firms, today began its first international advertising campaign, which is designed to increase awareness of the firm around the world. The campaign was developed by Red Advertising.

The first ad debuts today in The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Hartford Courant and The Lawyer, a British weekly magazine published in London. The ad will appear on Tuesday in The Daily Deal, a daily newspaper reaching lawyers, accountants, bankers, investment bankers, and other financial deal makers; on Friday in Boston Business Journal; next week in The Economist; and next month in American Lawyer. The first ad will also run in dioramas at the Delta and U.S. Air shuttle terminals in New York.

Although many of the larger law firms have been advertising over the past few years, Bingham Dana's campaign is a departure from the norm. Rather than sounding like brochure copy, or providing lists of completed transactions and clients, the new campaign uses large photographs and limited copy to introduce the firm and explain its philosophy in a humorous and contemporary fashion.

The first ad pictures the heads of two Doberman pinschers nose-to-nose - one docile and the other ferocious with fangs showing. The headline reads "Make Deals. Not War." The copy reads:

"Business isn't the simple dog-eat-dog game it once was. Success depends on strategy, agility and intelligence, not always brute force. Bingham Dana LLP has the experience to get your deals done, a legal approach with a pragmatic business perspective - and the firepower to do battle when your interests depend on it. In today's increasingly global marketplace, that's what it takes to be top dog."

Subsequent ads in the series will maintain the same design, address similar topics, and continue to use humor to make important points.

According to Jay Zimmerman, Bingham Dana's managing partner, the advertising campaign is a reflection of the culture and personality of the firm. "We believe we are a dynamic, innovative, creative, fast-paced, responsive and progressive law firm," Zimmerman said. "Therefore, we've tried to create a campaign that has those same qualities and characteristics."

The campaign is designed to reach CEOs, CFOs, senior executives and legal counsels in companies of varying sizes throughout the world. Ads will focus on the firm's ability to handle major corporate transactions from a business, finance, technology and litigation perspective.

"We represent clients on the cutting edge of business issues," Zimmerman said, "and our attorneys are on the cutting edge of legal issues. We have a smart, savvy, deal-oriented group of attorneys, and we want our advertising to get those points across to the business community."

Zimmerman went on to explain why more law firms are turning to advertising. "With the significant law firm consolidation that's taking place, and increased competition, it is imperative that firms become more aggressive in marketing themselves," he said. "Any firm that relies on the old methods, and performs at the traditional pace, will be going nowhere fast."

Jennie Smith Wilson, Managing Director of Red Advertising, said that working with Bingham Dana was a pleasant surprise. "When they first came to us," Wilson said, "we weren't sure we wanted to work with a large, seemingly conservative law firm. But we got to know Jay Zimmerman and realized that he was a change agent with a radically different outlook on marketing and advertising. As a result, we've developed a campaign that stands out in the business services category because of its creativity, humor and different approach. It has evolved into a surprising and fun campaign that will be highly effective."

Bingham Dana is an international law firm with more than 425 attorneys, which provides a full complement of high-quality legal services, business/ governmental consulting (through Bingham Consulting Group), and financial management and investment advisory services (through Bingham Legg Advisers). Firm clients range from small, emerging entrepreneurial businesses to the world's largest corporations. The firm has offices in Boston, New York, Washington, Hartford, Los Angeles, London and Singapore.