Davis & Associates - Strategic marketing

Item 1: Best Professional Services Firms & Marketers in 2002

As in 2001, we invited 20 senior professional services marketers and executives with extensive experience in the sector (covering law, accounting and management consulting) to nominate their “picks” for best firm / individual marketer across six categories; we then collated the results.

The results are, by their nature, subjective and represent only a small sample of the industrys’ professionals - nonetheless, they provide an interesting gauge of perceptions and views of the sector’s strong performers during 2002.

The respective categories, and top nominated firms and individuals for 2002 are:

1a. Most Creative / Innovative Law Firm
(includes: overall approach / positioning in the marketplace; new product development; use of technology; channel delivery; branding; firm culture; work-life balance)

2002:	Mallesons
2001:	Gilbert & Tobin

1b. Most Creative / Innovative Accounting-Business Advisory Firm
(includes: overall approach / positioning in the marketplace; new product development; use of technology; channel delivery; branding; firm culture; work-life balance)

2002:	Deloittes and PwC first equal
2001:	Deloittes

1c. Most Creative / Innovative Management Consulting Firm
(includes: overall approach / positioning in the marketplace; new product development; use of technology; channel delivery; branding; firm culture; work-life balance)

2002:	Accenture
2001:	No separate category in 2001, as the major accounting firm’s consulting arms were still operating under the parent organisation

2a. Best Brand / Marketing Communications Initiative by a Law Firm

2002:	No clear winner, but multiple mentions for Acuiti Legal re-branding (formerly Middleton Moore & Bevins) and the launch of Phillips Fox’s new brand identity
2001:	Allens Arthur Robinson re-branding

2b. Best Brand / Marketing Communications Initiative by an Accounting-Business Advisory Firm

2002:	Ernst & Young’s well-executed absorption of Andersen (and their brand)
2001:	Accenture brand launch

2c. Best Brand / Marketing Communications Initiative by a Consulting Firm

2002:	Accenture’s ongoing brand positioning campaign
2001:	No separate category in 2001, as the major accounting firm’s consulting arms were still operating under the parent organisation

3a. Best Quality Media / PR for a Law Firm
(includes both qualitative and quantitative media coverage, and relates more to value than volume)

2002:	Gilbert & Tobin
2001:	Minter Ellison

3b. Best Quality Media / PR for an Accounting-Business Advisory Firm
(includes both qualitative and quantitative media coverage, and relates more to value than volume)

2002:	Ernst & Young / Andersen merger
2001:	PwC

3c. Best Quality Media / PR for a Consulting Firm
(includes both qualitative and quantitative media coverage, and relates more to value than volume)

2002:	IBM’s acquisition of PwC Consulting
2001:	No separate category in 2001, as the major accounting firm’s consulting arms were still operating under the parent organisation

4a. Most Progressive Culture for a Law Firm
(includes gender awareness, composition of management team, staff diversity, flexible work practices, family friendly policies, corporate social responsibility programs, physical work environment)

2002:	Blake Dawson Waldron
2001:	No clear winner, but multiple mentions for Blake Dawson Waldron, Minter Ellison, Gilbert & Tobin, Allens Arthur Robinson

4b. Most Progressive Culture for an Accounting-Business Advisory Firm
(includes gender awareness, composition of management team, staff diversity, flexible work practices, family friendly policies, corporate social responsibility programs, physical work environment)

2002:	Deloittes
2001:	Deloittes

4c. Most Progressive Culture for a Consulting Firm
(includes gender awareness, composition of management team, staff diversity, flexible work practices, family friendly policies, corporate social responsibility programs, physical work environment)

2002:	PwC Consulting
2001:	No separate category in 2001, as the major accounting firm’s consulting arms were still operating under the parent organisation

5a. Best Professional Services Marketer in Law / Accounting / Consulting
(contribution to the industry, specific marketing campaign/s, brand and business development initiatives, contribution to change culture)

2002:	Law – Trish Carroll; Accounting-Business Advisory – Melinda Muth; Consulting – Caroline Trotman
2001:	Law – Trish Carroll; Accounting-Business Advisory – Caroline Trotman; Consulting – no separate category

6a. Most Improved Law Firm
(includes reputation / market perception, market positioning, quality of marketing, quality of people)

2002:	Deacons
2001:	Minter Ellison

6b. Most Improved Accounting-Business Advisory Firm
(includes reputation / market perception, market positioning, quality of marketing, quality of people)

2002:	Deloittes; with Pitcher Partners worthy of recognition, receiving multiple mentions
2001:	Deloittes

6c. Most Improved Consulting Firm
(includes reputation / market perception, market positioning, quality of marketing, quality of people)

2002:	Accenture; with Bain earning second spot
2001:	No separate category in 2001, as the major accounting firm’s consulting arms were still operating under the parent organisation

Item 2: New Business

During November and December 2002 and into 2003, we were appointed to undertake a diverse range of projects for existing and new clients, including:

Tender training for Clayton Utz marketing and business development staff
Tender support for Sparke Helmore on a specific opportunity
Appointment as strategic marketing adviser to KPMG’s national Board & Corporate Governance Advisory Services practice
Conducting analysis into a segmentation model for Mortgage Choice
Completion of a detailed Brand-Marketing Plan for Multiple Sclerosis Australia

Item 3 : In the News and On the Hustings

In her capacity as Co-Founder of the Chief Marketing Officers Forum, Dianne Davis chaired a panel of senior Marketing Directors on brand and advertising issues at the AFR’s Advertising Summit in December 2002.

And on March 27 this year, Dianne will participate in a panel discussion on “Debating Brand Essence” at a Financial Services Marketing conference in Sydney.

During November and December 2002, Dianne was quoted in the AFR on branding and corporate hospitality, and on ABC Radio’s Business Report on corporate hospitality / relationship marketing; and in B&T on the role of advertising in October 2002.

Next Issue:
Marketing Not-for-Profit Organisations

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