Unlike B2B or B2C peers, Professional Services Organizations have a host of hurdles to overcome to successfully present a clear and cohesive brand story in a unique fashion. All too often, marketers find themselves stuck between building the firm brand or building lawyers’ brands. This session examines how the use of an umbrella brand and supporting practice area marketing can help drive an integrated and powerful experience. Kalev Peekna, Chief Strategist at One North, and Ryan Schulz, Managing Director of Brand & Experience Design at One North, use real examples to show how firms are using this approach to guide their content, thought leadership, events and digital strategies. The end result is a differentiated and memorable brand experience at every touch point. You will learn: * A new Professional Services Brand Model * How to implement in a practical and achievable fashion * How practices areas, lawyers and marketers can embrace the framework * Real-world examples of firms that have embraced this new model and the resulting brand touch points

1. Ryan Schulz
Managing Director,
Brand & Experience Design
One North
Kalev Peekna
Chief Strategist
One North
From PSO to PSB:
A new model for creating differentiated
brand experiences

2. “I hire the lawyer, not the firm.”
– Every GC, ever

3. Do People Hire the Firm or the Lawyer?
Marketers want you to hire this.
GCs claim they hire this.

4. The Debate Never Ends
Despite near unanimous conclusions in this debate, we can’t stop posing the same question.
https://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/inside-straight-hiring-law-firms-or-lawyers/ Altman Weil

5. Une question mal posée
This is a classic example of what logicians call une question mal posée, which is fancy-pants for
that is a terrible question. Here’s what’s wrong:
• You’ve asked the wrong person – Buyers can be remarkably bad at understanding their own
behavior.
• You’re asking in the wrong context – It’s posed so abstractly that it’s inapplicable to the
real-world. Substitute a specific lawyer or a specific firm and you’d get different results each
time.
• It’s set up in favor of one answer – No one ever “buys” a firm, company, or organization.
This deserves some explanation.

6. The Absurdity of Buying a Brand

7. Which Do You Buy?
Or

8. Which Do You Buy?

9. Do You Really Buy “Tide?”
How would you answer this question?
Do you buy a specific detergent for your laundry, or do you buy any detergent from a specific
company?
How about if it’s worded like this?
Do you generally prefer to select a specific detergent (according to the type of clothing, machine,
scent, or other preferences)? Or do you prefer to simply purchase “Tide” with the assumption that any
of it would work well?

11. Which Do You Buy?
Or

12. Which Do You Buy?
It’s a trick! There are 134 different types of Doritos:
Doritos 1st Degree Burn Blazin' Jalapeno
Doritos 2nd Degree Burn Fiery Buffalo
Doritos 3D's Jalapeño & Cheddar
Doritos 3D's Nacho Cheesier
Doritos 3D's Texas Paprika Flavour
Doritos 3D's Zesty Ranch
Doritos 3rd Degree Burn Scorchin' Habanero
Doritos After Dark Last Call Kebab
Doritos After Dark Southern Fried Chicken
Doritos Baja Picante
Doritos Baked! Cooler Ranch Tortilla Chips
Doritos Baked! Nacho Cheesier
Doritos Bits Zero's Texas Paprika
Doritos Black Pepper Jack Tortilla Chips
Doritos Blaze
Doritos Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch Tortilla Chips
Doritos Blue Grilled Steak
Doritos Burn
Doritos Chilli Heatwave
Doritos Collisions Blaze Ultimate Cheddar
Doritos Collisions Cheesy Enchilada Sour Cream
Doritos Collisions Chicken Sizzler Zesty Salsa
Doritos Collisions Hot Wings Blue Cheese Tortilla Chips
Doritos Collisions Pizza Cravers/Ranch
Doritos Collisions Zesty Taco Chipotle Ranch
Doritos Cool Ranch 100 Calorie Mini Bites
Doritos Cooler Ranch
Doritos Cooler Ranch Mini Go Snacks
Doritos Corn Chips Cool Original Flavour
Doritos Crunch Mix Nacho Cheese
Doritos Crunch Nuts Cool Ranch
Doritos Crunch Nuts Nacho Cheese
Doritos Dinamita Chile Limón
Doritos Dinamita Chile Limón/Cheetos Flamin' Hot
Doritos Dinamita Fiery Habanero
Doritos Dinamita Mojo Criollo
Doritos Dinamita Nacho Picoso
Doritos Edge Nacho Cheesier (low carb)
Doritos Extreme Kickin' Chili
Doritos Extreme Queso Grande
Doritos Extreme Zesty Sour Cream & Cheddar
Doritos Fiery Fusion
Doritos Fiery Habanero
Doritos Flamas
Doritos Flamin' Hot Nacho
Doritos Flavor Shots Atomic Chile Limon
Doritos Flavor Shots Blazin' Buffalo Rush
Doritos Four Cheese!
Doritos Gold Peking Duck
Doritos Gourmet Fried Chicken and Green Onion Sauce
Doritos Gourmet Sausage
Doritos Guacamole!
Doritos Heat Wave Barbecue
Doritos Heat Wave Chipotle Cream
Doritos Honey Chili
Doritos in orange bag (Israeli)
Doritos in yellow bag (Israeli)
Doritos Inferno
Doritos Italiano Tomato & Cheese
Doritos Jacked 3D Bacon Cheddar Ranch
Doritos Jacked 3D Jalapeño Pepper Jack
Doritos Jacked Enchilada Supreme
Doritos Jacked Ranch Dipped Hot Wings
Doritos Jacked Smoky Chipotle BBQ
Doritos Jacked Spicy Street Taco
Doritos Jacked Test Flavor: 2653 (Chocolate Chipotle
Bacon)
Doritos Jacked Test Flavor: 404 (Caribbean Citrus Jerk)
Doritos Jacked Test Flavor: 855 (Spicy Street Taco)
Doritos Jalapeño & Cheddar
Doritos Jalapeno Cheese! Golden Toast Crackers
Doritos Jumpin' Jack Cheese
Doritos Ketchup
Doritos Late Night All Nighter Cheeseburger
Doritos Late Night Last Call Jalapeno Popper
Doritos Late Night Tacos at Midnight
Doritos Locos Tacos Cool Ranch Crunchy Taco
Doritos Locos Tacos Nacho Cheese Crunchy Taco
Doritos Megawhat Chilli Cheese
Doritos Megawhat Salsa
Doritos Mexican Hot Flavour
Doritos Mexicana
Doritos Mini 3D's Zesty Ranch Go Snacks
Doritos Mix Blazin' Buffalo Explosion
Doritos Mix Cheese Explosion
Doritos Mix Taco Explosion
Doritos Mr. Dragon's Fire Chips
Doritos Nacho Cheese
Doritos Nacho Cheese (Australian)
Doritos Nacho Cheese 100 Calorie Mini Bites
Doritos Nacho Cheesier
Doritos Nacho Cheesier (Taiwan)
Doritos Nacho Cheesier Mini Go Snacks
Doritos Nacho Italiano
Doritos Natural White Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips
Doritos Original Taco
Doritos Pepper Bacon
Doritos Pizza Supreme
Doritos Pizza-La Curry Monterey
Doritos Poppin' Jalapeno
Doritos Queijo Nacho
Doritos Ranchero Tortilla Chips
Doritos Rings Grill Flavor
Doritos Rollitos Cooler Ranch
Doritos Rollitos Nacho Cheesier
Doritos Rollitos Zesty Taco!
Doritos Roulette
Doritos Salsa Rio
Doritos Salsa Verde!
Doritos Salsa!
Doritos Sizzlin' Picante
Doritos Smokin' Cheddar BBQ Tortilla Chips
Doritos Sonic Sour Cream
Doritos Sour Cream & Onion
Doritos Spice 2.0
Doritos Spicier Nacho!
Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Tortilla Chips
Doritos Spirals Sweet Barbecue
Doritos Stadium Nacho Inspired by EA Sports Madden
NFL 11
Doritos Supreme Cheddar
Doritos Taco
Doritos Taco (Japan)
Doritos Tailgater BBQ Inspired by EA Sports Madden NFL
11
Doritos Tangy Cheese
Doritos Tapatio
Doritos Thai Pepper Chicken
Doritos The Quest
Doritos Toasted Corn! Tortilla Chips
Doritos Tortilla Chips Taco Flavor (retro bag)
Doritos Unidentified Flavour
Doritos Wasabi
Doritos Wild White Nacho Tortilla Chips
Doritos X-13D Tortilla Chips
Simply Organic Doritos Spicy White Cheddar
Simply Organic Doritos White Cheddar Tortilla Chips

13. So, What’s Going On Here? Do I Buy
Doritos or Not?

14. $^%@#$
@!!^$$$
$%@#$$
We’re Trying to Talk about Brand Without Using the Word
When we ask someone, “do you hire the
lawyer or the firm,” what we’re really trying
to assess is the impact of brand. Too often,
we avoid talking about brand. We treat it
like a four-letter word.
This hesitation, like the confusion over the
firm vs. lawyer question, happens because
of a misunderstanding of how brands
function. This is particularly true in legal
because brands operate differently in
people-based, expertise-based
organizations.

15. How Brands Work
And Why They Really Do Matter

16. Brand Basics
Many people often have a very narrow vision of what a brand truly is. Its connection to core
functions of the business and business strategy often feel opaque.
Tagline:
Confidence in tomorrow
Logo: Color Palette:

17. Brand Basics
Many people often have a very narrow vision of what a brand truly is. Its connection to core
functions of the business and business strategy often feel opaque.
Creative Expression System
Tagline:
Confidence in tomorrow
Logo: Color Palette:

18. The Big Secret: Brand Is Simple
Brand is what people are saying about you when
you aren’t in the room. So, what are they talking
about? Essentially, there are three things that they
are talking about.
Reputation Relationships
Thought
Leadership =

19. The Big Secret: Brand Is Simple
Brand is what people are saying about you when
you aren’t in the room. So, what are they talking
about? Essentially, there are three things that they
are talking about.
Reputation Relationships
Thought
Leadership =
Failure to adequately frame the conversation
surrenders your brand story to everyone else.
Some levers are easier to control than others.

20. Corporate Character Is All About Brand
Managing reputation is not about controlling the message. It’s about managing the
experience of an organization. It has more to do with the corporate character of an organization
(purpose, promise, persona, mission, vision, values, guiding principles, core beliefs, etc.).
Developing corporate character is all about distilling and building personal belief in an
authentic story that inspires people to act together.
Reputation Character
=

21. Corporate Character Is All About Brand
“Character is like a
tree and reputation
like its shadow.
The shadow is what
we think of it. The tree
is the real thing.”
– Abraham Lincoln

22. In the B2B and B2C
spaces, we often use
the word brand
interchangeably with
the word company
when referring to
top performers.
* Interbrand’s 2017 Best Global Brand’s Ranking

23. Brand is the shorthand we use when talking about industry leaders,
category definers, and high performers. Ultimately, we’re talking
about core differentiators.
“Brand” Defined
• Performance
• Value
• Innovation
• Product Development
• Specialized Experiences
• Luxury
• Personal Experience
• Values
• Mission
• Purpose
• Etc.

24. B2C and B2B
brands accept
and embrace
this dynamic.
They know
name recall is
worth its weight
in gold.
There is no
substitute for
being “top of
mind.”

25. B2C and B2B brands typically experience dramatically inflated valuations due
to “intangible assets” (brand).
The Real Value of “Brand”
NYSE and NASDAQ
+50%-75%
Fortune 500
+70%
https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/growth/branding-numbers-measuring-brand-value-equity-marketing-activity/

27. Collaborative
Difficult to Work With
The professional services space is filled with
“brand messages” built upon generic value propositions.
We call it The Sea of Sameness.
If no one would claim the opposite of an idea, chances are, the idea isn’t
big enough to build brand on to begin with.
High Quality
Low Quality
Responsive
Slow to React
Trustworthy
Shifty
Innovative
Change Averse
Team Player
Selfish

28. Why Is the Professional Services
Space Like This?

29. Do we not care enough?
Is it too expensive to brand?
Is brand really just a four-letter word?
Are practitioners truly afraid of brand?

31. We Know That There’s a Little More to
the Story for Professional Services.

32. There are some structural differences that make “doing brand” more difficult for
professional services.
• Ownership structures present challenges.
• Practitioners often own their own books of business.
• Business Development and Marketing often serve different masters.
• Brand requires a singular vision from a singular leader.
PSO Pain Points

33. What does “brand” actually do?

35. Brand drives
revenue.
• Shortens the sales
process by framing your
perspective
• Creates awareness
because it makes you
more visible
• Makes you sought out for
reasons beyond simple
conversion

36. You can charge
more for the same
d*&# work!
• There’s a reason solo
practices don’t charge
$1200+/hr.
• There’s a reason solo
practices don’t do the most
impactful work.
• There’s a reason solo
practices aren’t the first to
get a call.

37. Brand creates
client stickiness.
• Clients are attracted to
more than just outcomes.
• Branded touchpoints give
clients value adds that
can be differentiators in
an of themselves.
• It gives clients a bigger,
better story to tell about
your brand.

38. For good or bad,
the firm takes
the credit.
• “No one ever got fired for
hiring George” is not a
thing. Sorry, George.
• The firm is always a part
of the story clients tell.
• The reputation of a firm
can (and almost always
does) outlive lateral
moves.

39. • Draws out like-minded
laterals
• Nurtures new recruits and
gives them a sense of
belonging
• Offers a rallying cry that
promotes cross-selling and
collaboration
• Gives all employees an
additional reason to stick
around
Brand attracts and
retains talent.

40. • You won’t be at a loss to
explain why “prestige”
should matter to a Gen Z-er.
• Laterals want to calm clients
by telling them they are
headed somewhere good.
People will
actually want to
work with you.

41. Brand in PSOs

42. Things to Keep in Mind When Bridging
the Gap Between a PSO and a PSB.

43. 1. Brand positioning needs to align
with a brand’s actual experience.

44. If you choose a client-friendly, easy-to-use brand positioning, and your actual client experience
feels like a struggle, clients won’t buy it. Clients choose you based on your track record, but
clients tell stories about you based on their experience. Aspiration needs to work in collaboration
with reality.
Authenticity Meets Aspiration

45. Example: Walking the Talk on Client Experience
A large, midwestern law firm has long
prided itself on being “easy to work with.”
They used it as a differentiator against
coastal competitors. Which is probably why
their leadership was surprised to hear the
opposite from many clients – that they
were, in fact, “difficult to use.”
The problem? Invoicing was irregular,
opaque, and confusing.
The solution? Complete transparency and
a new digital portal.
The lesson? Brands cannot aspire beyond
the experience they’re ready to deliver.

46. 2. There is a strong relationship
between reputation and brand
awareness.

47. What shapes a brand’s reputation?
Thought
Leadership
Client
Experiences
The
Results

48. Example: Managing Brand Reputation
You are a
Sweatshop.
We work
harder than
others.
We also
care about
our people.
We are a
dynamic
powerhouse.
A large, New York-based firm, who has a reputation for being a formidable opponent and a
firm that helps to “create the law,” was starting to get the reputation amongst lawyers as
being a sweat shop. In response, the firm leveraged PR tactics to help manage the brand
and correct the story.
Stories and Proof
(Results and Thought Leadership)

49. 3. Professional services brand
architecture is different than in
most other markets.

50. A New Brand Model

51. Brand Architecture
House of Brands
Holding Company
Branded House
Master Brand
Hybrid Approach
Asymmetrical
What most
professionals
think it is
What
professionals
think marketers
think it is

52. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
This is the first thing you want to pop into anyone’s mind. It might be some key
differentiator, but it could be something arbitrary that is also memorable as well.

53. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
This is where you add nuance to your differentiation story. Not all practices are created
equal. Be clear about your salient selling points, but make sure you have proof.

54. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
This is where your partners get to add their own personal brand, but it has to build off of
the larger brand stories. Otherwise, you are simply building a house of cards.

55. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Lots of Room for Interpretation
This is where your partners get to add their own personal brand, but it has to build off of
the larger brand stories. Otherwise, you are simply building a house of cards.

56. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Client Experience
Lots of Room for Interpretation
This is ultimately the only thing that really matters. These stories will be the thing that fuels
your brand.

57. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Client Experience
REPUTATION
Lots of Room for Interpretation
When you put it all together, drive your story through every touchpoint, and give it a little
time. Your reputation will start to close the loop.

58. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Client Experience
3. Persona
The basis for the brand’s tone
and voice.
2. Purpose
The rationale for your existence; an
internal rallying cry.
1. Positioning
Why customers choose you.
Your competitive edge.
4. Promise
Client focused; often translated into
tag-lines or a campaign.
Essence/Brand Idea
The intangible way
people feel about the
brand.
Brand Platform
Let’s unpack that a little further. How do we build each layer? What’s in it?
It all starts with a brand platform.

59. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Client Experience
2. Purpose
The rationale for your existence; an
internal rallying cry.
1. Positioning
Why customers choose you.
Your competitive edge.
Focus Area
For subsequent layers, we should focus on and extend specific parts of the platform.
Practices should focus exclusively on differentiators and collaboration.

60. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Client Experience
1. Positioning
Why customers choose you.
Your competitive edge.
Focus Area
If we build the other layers correctly, we allow practitioners to focus almost exclusively on
their own differentiators (which is the thing they are often best at anyway).

61. Building a Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brands
Client Experience
Focus Area
Essence/Brand Idea
The intangible way
people feel about the
brand.
The client experience should almost always reflect a firm’s reputation, which is connected
to the overarching Essence/Brand Idea.

62. Meet Maker and Day

63. Building a (Hypothetical) Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brand
Maker & Day
Let’s meet

64. Building a (Hypothetical) Professional Services Brand
Umbrella Brand
Practice/Discipline Brand
Practitioner Brand
Showing you the way
Experience that sees
around corners
Maker and Day
Litigation
Patricia Maker Here are three ways
that I have helped
clients see around
corners
Firm
Practice
Partner
Sample FrameworkFirm Structure
Client
Experience
Maker & Day

65. Building a (Hypothetical) Professional Services Brand
Firm
Practice
Partner
Sample FrameworkFirm Structure Where does this show up
Overall look and feel, firm narrative
Practice copy on the website,
practice brochures, events, etc.
Bio material, speaking
events, pitches, proposals,
pressClient
Experience
Showing you the way
Experience that sees
around corners
Maker and Day
Litigation
Patricia Maker Here are three ways
that I have helped
clients see around
corners
Maker & Day

66. Conclusion

67. Where To Start
1. Take a close look at how you stack
up at all three levels.
2. Identify advocates or champions
internally at every level.
3. Find a trusted partner to help build
and document the work.
4. Commit to the long path and
actionable outcomes.
Firm Brand
Practice Brand
Partner Brand
Client Experience

68. Thank you.