RJR Solicitors
Replacing a dated and disparate brand image with a cohesive identity has left a law firm better placed to hit back at tough economic conditions
Background
RJR Solicitors has operated on the Isle of Wight for more than 100 years. The eight partner firm turns over around £2m a year and has offices at three sites on the island, employing 40 staff. More than 90 per cent of RJR's work comes from repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendation.
Problem
The catalyst for change was the overhaul of the firm’s website, explains RJR's Head of Business Development, Virgil Philpott.
‘The way in which legal services are delivered is changing because deregulation means it will be possible for them to be offered by businesses other than law firms. So, while our competition used to be just other solicitors, it could now be large conglomerates with overseas call centres. That had made us examine our offering and the perception was that perhaps we had become a bit set in our ways,’ he says.
‘Our expertise is second to none and we have a very loyal client base. But we were conscious of the need to attract new clients and we were falling down on the way we communicated our skills.’
The firm had tried to brand itself cohesively but failed because of its structure. RJR covers six different areas of legal expertise from litigation to commercial and family law, each with markedly different target audiences. As a result, while it had a logo and a portfolio of leaflets, it had no over-arching brand personality.
In search of help, Philpott attended a Designing Demand Workshop in Winchester.
‘It was the first time I became aware of the broader role design could play in a business and I immediately saw the potential,’ he recalls.
Response
The firm joined the Generate service, teaming up with Design Associate Pradeep Sharma. He ran an introductory session with the partners from which he and Philpott put together a design brief - the blueprint for the rebranding project.
‘Despite its strong heritage and proven track record, RJR was perceived as old-fashioned and a little stuffy,’ Sharma says. ‘Internally, there was a clear need for a coherent set of values to link different service areas more closely to each other and the over-arching RJR brand.’
It is commonly accepted in the profession that personality and personal service are as important when it comes to choosing a law firm as quality of legal advice, which is taken for granted. Yet throughout its marketing, RJR's emphasis was on being best in its field. The design brief therefore made accentuating the human side of the firm a priority.
The partners approved this over-arching idea then left Sharma and Philpott to find designers to create the new brand identity and find an integrated philosophy for the firm to embrace. Sharma recommended five design companies to present credentials. Oxford-based corporate identity consultants Franks and Franks were selected for their strong portfolio and experience of working with solicitors.
‘Only one company came in within the budget we had set,’ Philpott says. ‘But by that point we knew we only had one chance of getting this right, so went with the designers we thought would do the best job and adjusted the budget accordingly.’
Philpott actively managed the relationship with Franks and Franks, then he and the Managing Partner selected what he describes as ‘the most extreme’ design concept: a crisp, modern design using the letters r j r arranged to give the impression of a face, with the strapline 'Legal advice with a human face'.
The identity provided a platform for various communications around the 'human face' theme, featuring lawyers' photographs and even personal interests, including one senior partner who is an accomplished wildlife photographer. As important as the new visual identity, however, was a younger, more contemporary tone of voice.
Impact
The new identity and website were launched in November 2008 to a positive external response.
‘One of our offices is in the small town of Freshwater. Within a day or two of the rebranding one resident told us although they'd lived there 20 years they'd never noticed our office,’ Philpott says.
Yet some of RJR's partners were worried. ‘Although they were comfortable with the overarching concept, one or two thought it could be seen as too jokey or informal. So the emphasis of an ad campaign we planned to run was changed. Now people are used to the rebranding, however, I am confident our advertising will become more striking and adventurous.’
Despite tough trading conditions - the housing slump has had a marked impact on RJR's conveyancing division, for instance - Philpott insists the rebranding is already having a positive effect and provides a solid base for further growth.
‘Up to two years ago we didn't even need to advertise for business,’ he says.
‘Today, we are about to enter a very different world in a far stronger position than would have been the case just a year ago.’
RJR continues to work closely with Franks and Franks and will use the rebranding as the starting point for a major redesign of its Ryde head office once the economic situation improves.RJR Solicitors
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