Zimmerman Quoted on Advertising Campaign, Branding Effort
Law Firm Inc., January/February 2008 — Bingham chairman
Jay Zimmerman was profiled in the
Law Firm Inc. article “People Who Are Making Waves.” After nine mergers in 10 years, Bingham has grown from approximately 200 lawyers in 1995, to nearly 1,000 lawyers in 14 offices and ranked twenty-sixth on the latest Am Law 100 roster, reports
Law Firm Inc. Zimmerman has been managing partner and chairman since 1994. Most recently, political satirist Stephen Colbert added Bingham to his list of imminent threats to the American culture for its digitally created print ad showing a bear cradling a baby. “We considered being named the number two threat to America pretty good stuff,” said Zimmerman. “In fact, we even replayed the episode at our partner retreat." According to
Law Firm Inc., the firm’s baby and bear ad is the “latest star in a series of memorable ads” that have included a hang-gliding elephant, a zebra chasing a lion, and Doberman Pinschers. “We want to show our strengths as an organization, but with a sense of perspective and sense of humor, so our ads are intended to show we're not approaching business and clients in the same old way,” said Zimmerman. Although
The Colbert Report may not be Bingham's targeted demographic, the bear image is another step in an advertising campaign calculated to usher Bingham's name into the business vernacular. “Our growth has been so significant over the years that, at least to clients working with firms that joined us, we may have even been considered a new organization,” said Zimmerman. “So a dedicated branding effort has been one of the most important things we've done in terms of helping change that perception and narrow the gap.”