When diamonds aren’t forever.

At mext we've spent a lot of this year thinking and talking about client needs in legal services, so it wasn't a big surprise that this New York subway ad caught my attention. 

Amusing, audacious, perhaps a little bit shocking. With a few exceptions, in Australia we are not used to seeing a lot of law firm advertisements in mainstream media. There seems to be a great divide between those who advertise their services and those who don’t. 

What is so surprising about this ad is the way it treats the subject matter. We tend to think that those going through separations and family breakdowns are finding it overwhelming and depressing; that what they need is to be treated with sympathy and sensitivity. To approach it other than with the utmost gravity seems almost taboo. But maybe not for everyone. 

By using humour, this ad momentarily diminishes the problem and makes it just a little bit easier to cope with. For many people this will be just what they need. Nothing like a bit of gallows humour to take the stress out of a situation. 

But for me, the best bit is the disclaimer. There is probably a legal requirement for it, but…. Attorney Advertising: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome…

Client needs modelling provides new opportunities for legal firms to create customer value.

There has been a lot going on the in legal sector – global consolidation, off-shoring, margin pressure, in-housing and the challenge will keep building - not least through an uncertain and sluggish economy.

After having helped King & Wood Mallesons develop their hugely successful global brand and advertising campaign the team at mext turned their attention to a big gap in the legal market. A deep understanding of client needs and trends in working with firms.

Having developed over 60 customer needs models globally from airlines to utilities mext conducted 49 interviews with clients and firms and used the most modern psychology to develop and map client needs for legal services.

The result is a comprehensive and conscious understanding that helps firms better fulfil on their client needs and thus create higher value for them and greater opportunities for themselves.

Senior industry insiders with whom we discussed the HuNeeds® model considered the approach ground-breaking in the industry, providing new potential to shape the way they work with clients and deal with the challenges ahead.

Lawyers Weekly wrote that the challenge will lie in firms understanding and adopting this kind of thinking. With mext’s experience in applying the HuNeeds client needs modelling approach with King & Wood Mallesons and first reactions from firms this worry seems to be unfounded.

The study identified the structure of 6 core motivations and 29 specific needs that help firm dealing with challenges ranging from brand to experience Design, margin pressure to new business development and innovation.

One mext client called the HuNeeds approach 'the cornerstone of all their marketing activities' because it provides a scientifically sound and intuitive framework every lawyer can use.

As a proactive study and tool developed to support their clients, the findings of the study are available to all legal services firms as the study results and through workshops.

Legal Minds!: Understanding Client Needs for Legal Services. from mext Consulting

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King & Wood Mallesons create a new global brand in legal services

Today the advertising campaign for King & Wood Mallesons breaks in the AFR, The Age and The Australian.The merger between Australia’s and China’s top legal firms creates one of the world’s largest legal firms.

Over the last year mext worked with the parties to develop the new, merged brand based on mext’s unique HuTrust methodology. This proprietary approach allows to develop brands and brand engagement based on trust and has frequently helped clients achieve over 20% brand growth.The brand development included the employer brand as well as the external brand. mext helped develop the brand, strategy, action plans and supports the implementation.

Sydney Design and Ad agency, mr mumbles, was brought in by mext during the brand development process.With mext being responsible for the strategy and planning, mr developed a brand design and campaign that is cutting edge in professional services.

The core campaign consists of 3 ads focused around one of the HuTrust facets developed for King & Wood Mallesons. It will run internationally and will be supported by numerous targeted activities.

For more information, please contact Stefan.grafe@mext.com.au or visit www.mextconsulting.com , www.hutrust.com

For further articles and press releases:

Please click here for the campaign for King and Wood Mallesons article
Click here for the bandt report
Click here for the Mumbrella report
Click here for the AdNews report