The paradigm has changed when it comes to how the public perceives insurance companies. Thanks to the excellent multi-media campaigns deployed by the major consumer insurers, they have actually become quite likable. Combine this with the now prevalent strategy of swooping in and offering quick cash (albeit low) settlements at a time when people need money and the recipe is right for it to have an impact on your practices.
What used to be a “Cold War” approach of delay and deny has taken on the illusion of “the Wall coming down”. In other words, the wolf that used to clearly wear wolf’s clothing is now the wolf wearing sheep’s clothing…..and the public is buying it.
Our job is to make the consumer aware of what is going on and encourage them more than ever to contact a (your) law firm before signing anything or taking a deal. That is certainly something that we at Market Masters-Legal understand and are focusing our TV and Web licensee’s campaigns on.
As just about everyone in the legal profession knows, the “poster child” case for tort reform is the one involving the infamous fast food hot coffee spill. It is unfortunate how little the general public actually knows about this case and others like it. It is for that reason that we can only hope that viewers will watch the HBO documentary examining the dangers of tort reform entitled Hot Coffee.
Here is the Trailer for the show. Even more compelling is the Synopsis.
Of course, it remains critical to keep empowering messages out there like those available through Market Masters-Legal, “The Most Powerful TV Ads in the Country”.
You know those toning shoes with the curved bottoms that are supposed to help your physique? Well, maybe that is not all they do. Skechers Shape-ups are the subject of a recent lawsuit according to ABC News. There are certainly quite a few people using these shoes. Heck, I have a pair. We will have to keep an eye on this to see if it becomes a mass tort opportunity that has any “legs” (sorry).
The QuickStrike™ program at Market Masters-Legal gives our licensees a real edge when it comes to advertising for mass tort cases on TV.
What do Harry Truman, the Korean War and $3000 Packards have to do with Auto cases today? They all have 1949 in common, the last year that deaths on US roads were as low as they were in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s report on traffic fatalities.
–
An interesting perspective on the value of Forensic Economists in evaluating case values is offered by Jason Abraham of Market Masters-Legal licensee Hupy & Abraham in a recent edition of the Wisconsin Law Journal.
–
Looking for a public service promotion that really works? Market Masters-Legal licensee Joe Bornstein recently launched another Arrive Alive campaign. This promotion has been embraced across the state and has proven to be of real value to the community and to the firm.
–
Overall, Direct Mail is on the rise in 2011 according to a recent report. The automotive, retail and financial services industries are leading the way. Hard to know what this means to direct mail efforts by law firms, but it would not be all that surprising to see this increase as well. Market Masters-Legal offers full graphic design services to our licensees, and can design direct mail pieces that stand out.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a Safety Communication regarding the risk of oral clefts in children born to mothers taking Topamax (topiramate) .
The Ft. Wayne, IN Journal Gazette reported on 2/18/11 that lawyers for Zimmer, Inc. have filed suit against some law firms who have advertised on TV and/or the web seeking clients related to the NexGen® knee replacement line and other products the company manufactures.
The FDA is warning against certain uses of Terbutaline (asthma drug) in pregnant women.
The prescription hair loss drug Propecia is the subject of a lawsuit filed against Merck & Co. According to a recent Hartford Courant report, the suit alleges that Merck & Co. has failed to fully disclose potential serious side effects.
At the health club I belong to there are banks of TV’s suspended from the ceiling for viewing while sweating away on every different type of cardio machine known to man. I often use my lunch break to exercise and it is not uncommon to see TV ads for lawyers appear on one or more of the screens at any given time. Nothing remarkable about that. This past week, though, something caught my attention and got me thinking. It was an ad, cleverly disguised as a public service announcement, with a clear negative message targeting your profession.
The “ad” shows an indoor basketball court with a bunch of kids shooting baskets and a young woman on camera narrating. She talks about how she used to work with children in a facility just like this until it was sued and forced to close. While she is talking, the youngsters disappear from the screen one by one. Her message, “stop frivolous lawsuits”. Of course, no details of the case were presented, only a plea to visit www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org .
Who is backing this? A very credible sounding organization known as The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform (which has its own website www.instituteforlegalreform.com ) . Who is really backing it? No way of knowing for certain, but it is not hard to speculate. That is less important than the fact that this concerted and organized effort is out there feeding the fears of the uninformed in an effort to manipulate their support to not do business with you. What can you do about it? Keep your strong positive empowering TV commercials on and pervasive. Discuss with your local, state and national Bar associations, especially the American Association of Justice to develop strategies to counter these messages. Don’t wait. This is not going away anytime soon.
“Keep It Simple Stupid” or “Make It Super Sophisticated”?
My latest travels took me to visit with our licensees in Columbia, SC. Frankly, it was long overdue, but I was welcomed warmly and enjoyed their true southern hospitality. One of the most important things they wanted to accomplish was for me to see, first hand, the primary potential client base from which they need to draw in order to be successful. So, they loaded me into their car and took me to Pig On The Ridge, an annual barbecue competition that draws from all around. It gave me an opportunity to see, meet and speak with many good people that comprise what they consider to be their target demographic. The point of this (beyond enjoying barbecue and my first taste of boiled peanuts) was that we all can get caught up in trying to look and be as sophisticated as possible in what we say and do as law firms. It is natural to want to be impressive. However, our licensees in Columbia correctly recognize the critical importance of communicating to their clientele on their level in a manner that they will best receive it.
The late American journalist, H.L. Mencken once said, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” I suppose that his intention is open to debate. But one interpretation can certainly be that keeping it simple and direct, while still being impactful, is never a bad strategy. In fact, it is the best strategy. Nothing puts you in a better position to do that than the TV commercials produced by Market Masters-Legal …Period. How is that for simple and direct?
The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein
Paige, Jim and I had the pleasure of making the 3- plus hour drive north to Portland, ME last week during the peak of foliage season (can’t say we didn’t factor that in to the timing) to visit with one of our longest tenured licensees, Joe Bornstein. He welcomed us with open arms (literally….a big hug for each of us). I have long marveled at the genuine caring Joe exudes to his clients, staff and anyone he works with. His many loyal employees reflect that concern for others in what they do as well.
Joe often talks about how different he feels that “Mainers” are from just about anyone, something that he believes needs to be addressed in all of his extensive marketing. While that may be true, positive response to being taken care of promptly, fairly, compassionately and respectfully is universal. What Joe has worked so hard to instill into his practice will work anywhere.
Market Masters-Legal commercials predispose consumers to liking you. Having their positive feelings reinforced starting with their first contact with the firm, and continuing with their subsequent experiences thereafter, is something that our licenses benefit from every day. Most are very good at doing this. I will talk about them in future posts too. This one was a chance to acknowledge Joe Bornstein for a job very well done.
Insurance Adjusters.
I just received a great email from one of our licensees.
“Yesterday I ran into an adjuster from an old client of ours, (name of company). It was (name) and (name) may remember him. He told me our TV ads were the best of any of the law firms.”
You know what? This actually happens all the time. Adjusters tell our licensees that they really like the TV commercials that we produce for them, and that they think they are the best ones they have seen.
No argument here.
I just read an interesting recent article in Advertising Age that discussed the question of whether using celebrities in marketing was still viable in the “Era of Social Media”. The overall conclusion was – yes.
“We receive more than 3,000 commercial images a day; our subconscious absorbs more than 150 images and roughly 30 reach our conscious mind………..if you use a (celebrity) strategy, you dramatically accelerate the potential for your brand to reach the conscious mind of the consumer.”
“….(it) has the power to instigate and inspire, enlighten and enrage, entertain and edify the consumer. Its inherent benefits are that it can be leveraged across multiple channel experiences (and potentially services), cuts through advertising clutter, creates a brand narrative and allows for channel-specific optimization. Ultimately, (it) is always worth investing in if you have the right person.”
Market Masters-Legal provides law firms with the opportunity to utilize the considerable spokesperson talents of William Shatner and Robert Vaughn in custom-filmed, market-exclusive multi-media campaigns. Although far from the only elements of our creative that enable our licensees to regularly dominate their markets, they are critical components to their success.
