BLP hires advertising guru for marketing push

Readers' comments (14)

• Hamish | 23-Feb-2010 12:17 pm

  Why oh why are firms obsessed with marketing guff? Don't they understand that this is not what clients want? They want practical, good value, clear advice. Full stop. Not to know that their fees are being squandered on brainless PR initiatives only designed to fool the media.

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 23-Feb-2010 12:20 pm

  it's clear what this is about Berwins has a top notch real estate practice but that leads to the (perhaps false) notion that that's all it does. It needs someone with experience and gravitas to persuade the market of its wider strengths

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 23-Feb-2010 4:32 pm

  I'll bet you Neville Eisenberg's partnership drawings that Ash ain't at BLP in "three-to-five years" time. Or maybe I'm wrong and he'll successfully hoodwink a few inflated egos into spending a shed load of money on marketing puff.

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 23-Feb-2010 4:42 pm

  The utter stupidity, arrogance and myopia of Hamish (and hundreds like him) never fail to astound me. Firms who deliver "practical, good value, clear advice" are ten-a-penny. Marketing's role is to communicate what makes Berwins (in this case) different and how they identify/develop new revenue streams. If the likes of Hamish believe all you need to do is carry on doing what you've always done, then his/their days are mercifully numbered

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 23-Feb-2010 4:46 pm

  "a 25-strong team"
  
  Isn't this a rather large marketing team for a firm of BLP's size?

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• William Arthur, KermaPartners | 24-Feb-2010 9:26 am

  I fear Hamish has completely missed the point, but I suspect that his view is representative of many in this market. This is a strategic business appointment, and entirely complementary to the provision of " practical, good value, clear advice". The problem is, there is an over-supply of firms and lawyers capable of giving this advice, but an under-supply of the commercial acumen needed to project those capabilities effectively and stand out from the crowd. The only option for most firms, if they cannot achieve differentiation and communicate it properly, is to compete on price, which is not a happy place

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 24-Feb-2010 12:25 pm

  Maybe Shoosmiths should get in touch with Ogilvy too, or failing that a suitably run-of-the-mill advertising agency.

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 24-Feb-2010 4:33 pm

  That's right Hamish and all Coca Cola needs to do is produce a tasty beverage! I despair of the legal profession when I hear comments like yours.
  
  If you have no clients how do you deliver practical advice to them!

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 24-Feb-2010 6:34 pm

  That's right Hamish and all Coca Cola needs to do is produce a tasty beverage! I despair of the legal profession when I hear comments like yours.
  
  If you have no clients how do you deliver practical advice to them!

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment

• Anonymous | 25-Feb-2010 3:47 pm

  Hamish clearly has no real understanding of marketing at all. This attitude is indicative of law firms that are stuck in the past when it comes to marketing. Marketing's reputation is no longer about 'guff' and fancy advertising; it centres on making the firm profitable by identifying client needs and meeting them, ensuring the whole firm is client focused in everything it does. I'm sure it won't amaze you to find out that many law firms don't concentrate on their clients in any co-ordinated way. Quite possibly, Hamish's firm is one of them.

  Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment