A company’s brand is the genetic makeup of its people, promise, product and expectations. It’s the visual and emotional identifier for customers, clients and prospects to make associations and draw conclusions about your company in a split second.

When you see the green twin mermaid below, your brain doesn’t make the simple association of “Starbucks coffee” and move on. Associations are made beyond the coffee itself whether you can control them or not.

You may think about their unique jargon, quality and consistency, close proximity and friendly staff. You may feel a sense of familiarity and even accomplishment. It may be your haven to recharge or hub to focus. Their logo is far more than just a logo, and so is yours.

For decades, law firms have adopted a very conservative approach to their brand coloring inside the lines. But, times are changing. Nixon Peabody has rebranded their firm to adopt to these changing times and client demands of embracing a more business savvy culture. Let’s take a look:

BEFORE:

 

This logo is safe and classic. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just predictable. It’s telling me Nixon Peabody is a sophisticated and conservative firm that’s going to do a quality job and likely cost me a lot of money. I don’t feel any negative reactions; I just may forget all about it come lunch.

AFTER:

This one is a bit different. It’s telling me Nixon Peabody is vibrant, open to new ideas and innovative. It’s telling me the associates are energetic and eager to help me in the most efficient way possible. The neon green and black tells me the firm is bold and unafraid of standing apart from the rest. It’s caught my attention and I’m not likely going to forget this one. I’m left interested and curious, especially coming from a law firm.

With the rebrand for Nixon Peabody, Wired Magazine reiterates the progressive brand identity is more than just neon colors and a star burst, or “spark.”  I have to assume the spark symbolizes its new found energy and catalyst for growth. The firms states “the rebrand comes at a time of changing expectations throughout the industry–not just in the topics law firms should be knowledgeable about but in how they should be thinking about them, too.” This deep-seeded shift in the firm’s mentality and progressive approach demonstrates their understanding of how the industry is shying away from its traditional roots and embracing innovation, one new idea at a time. So, while Nixon Peabody may be defying the industry norm right now, their strategy is a real crowd-pleaser.

As technology and innovation is becoming more available, accepted and proven, law firms are varying sizes are dipping their toes in the water. Whether it’s going paperless, implementing remote desktops, creating custom software, trusting the cloud, leveraging mobile and taking the time to improve your business processes, innovation for law firms is happening in all forms.

Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth. –Peter Drucker