Ahead of the game

Allen & Overy is an international law firm advising many of the world's largest and most influential companies. Originally a City of London-based firm and part of the Magic Circle, A&O has grown rapidly since the mid-90s and is now one of the world's largest legal practices, with just under 500 partners and a global headcount of around 4,800. A&O has offices in 38 international cities and is today grouped with the so-called 'global elite' of international law firms (the world’s largest U.S. and U.K. firms). In 2008, A&O’s partners voted for brand as one of three strategic priorities. Partners felt that though highly successful, A&O punched below its weight in relation to what it saw as more assertively positioned competitors. They wanted to strengthen and re-affirm their brand around a global platform that would support new growth and aid achievement of the firm’s goal to be seen as the most successful of the global elite of international firms.

Robust objectivity

What was crucial to the project, billed as a brand refresh was to drive recommendations from a sound base of knowledge, so evidentiary-based as opposed to purely top line management feelings. Nor would there be any point in reflecting simply a London mentality.The study had to be global. Working as part of an integrated team with A&O’s internal Marketing, BD and Communications specialists the Dragon Rouge* team embarked on a perception study of A&O in 17 countries involving nearly 500 people, clients, partners, recruiters, journalists, from 23 of the firm’s offices. This led us to propose a strengthened brand positioning based on the continuously re-generating goal of being seen as the world’s most advanced law firm.

Most advanced

As an organizing principle, advanced has far-reaching implications and has been enthusiastically received and adopted across the firm. We continue to work closely to help push the steady adoption of the positioning, and the consequences of this in campaigning, communications, visual identity and strategic planning. Our recent work has included a brand framework for communications, concept campaign development for a new global campaign and the creation of a name and identity for A&O’s co-created initiative with other leading law firms to improve fair access to work experience that is called ‘PRIME’ and which launched in September 2011.