Football to flowers: Law firms (finally) wake up to the importance of branding
Branding is a vital part of any business operation; it’s why some sponsorship deals can run into the millions of pounds, from team kits to exhibitions. Now some law firms are starting to realise the importance of tying their name to something iconic.
When you think of British music venues, the O2 in Greenwich may come to mind, or for football stadiums, you will likely think of Etihad for Manchester City.
For sporting events, Pimm’s and Ralph Lauren for the Wimbledon Champion, (among the many) Rolex for F1 and when I think of cricket, albeit very little, Kia comes to my mind.
Telecoms, retail, and many financial institutions have been active over the years, throwing their names at big events and trying to make a mark on an engaged audience.
Now, law firms are starting to dip their toes into the waters. Irwin Mitchell was already the official legal partner of England Rugby.
According to Google Trends, last week many people were typing ‘who is Hill Dickinson’ along with ‘Hill Dickinson turnover’ and ‘Hill Dickinson net worth’ into their keyboards.
So why were so many people seemingly so invested in knowing all the details of this law firm? It was revealed last Friday that the firm was slapping its name on Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in a long-term agreement, reportedly worth £6m.
Hill Dickinson, headquartered in Liverpool, is a top-50 law firm with recent revenue of £145.3m and net profit exceeding £50m. Unlike Etihad, whose recent revenue was $1.5bn, sponsoring a Premier League football club is not loose change for the law firm.
The Dixie Doc
As noted in the statement on the deal, Craig Scott, CEO of Hill Dickinson, said: “To put our name to Everton’s new stadium is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We believe deeply in what this project stands for — a bold, transformational vision for Liverpool and its future.”
Sean Connell, editor of The Sponsor (and, as luck would have it, an Everton fan), told City PM that Hill Dickinson has seized this unique opportunity. After his initial shock at ‘what Hill Dickinson is, ‘ he stated that this partnership with Everton was a perfect opportunity.
He explained that, given the club’s historic status in Liverpool, Hill Dickinson’s local roots, and the fact that it is a new stadium, the deal was a “good commercial decision” on both sides.
“[It] reinforces the deep local roots between Hill Dickinson’s Liverpool foundations that make them undeniably the law firm of the northwest of Liverpool, solidifying those relationships in the Liverpool area,” he explained.
Connell also pointed out, “It will be really interesting for the [legal] sector if you’re one of these brands that would consider themselves larger than Hill Dickinson; suddenly, you have just been overtaken.”
He said those firms will probably look at their own statements and think, “Well, what have we got to play with that can push our name up there?”
Many major law firms are headquartered in London, but despite the capital having a large number of big football clubs, the Hill Dickinson opportunity won’t be available to them.
Pots, plants and Pimm’s
British law firm and London HQ’d Addleshaw Goddard kicked off their second year of a three-year deal on Tuesday as the first official legal partner of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Over five days this week, the firm will welcome over 500 clients as its guests at the iconic horticultural event.
Along with its name branded at the event, Addleshaw Goddard is painted across the walls at Bank station, leading you down to the Waterloo and City line.
Like Hill Dickinson, the deal value to Addleshaw is also targeted.
The firm’s tagline for the event, ‘Flourish in the City,’ was painted across its marketing (including a gardening apron). The firm also has its own garden at the event, ‘The Addleshaw Goddard Freedom To Flourish Garden,’ created by Norfolk-based Joe and Laura Carey.
The tagline is linked to what the firm identifies as its culture, as quoted by its managing partner: “In London and beyond, we are driven by helping our clients, our people, and our communities to flourish—a value closely shared with the RHS.”
The legal sector can be slow to most trends, but once one firm does something, the others tend to follow.
It will be interesting to see what firms throw their names at, and what they want to be associated with. It is not always a walk in the park. To avoid a PR nightmare like Pepsi had with its Kendall Jenner deal in 2017, law firms will need to choose any tie-up wisely.
Eyes on the Law is a weekly column by Maria Ward-Brennan focused on the legal sector.