After 20 years of providing branding services to professional services (our first clients included Mishcon de Reya and the Norton Rose of old), it’s only natural we’d want to test the memory of our players over this period.

More than 300 people played our recent quiz and the majority of those who made it onto the leaderboard are from law firms. I’m not sure what this tells us: could these players be better at branding than their counterparts in accountancy and consultancy? Or perhaps it’s to do with the age profile?!

Over the past 20 years, much has changed in the way firms approach branding. Few have discovered the Holy Grail.

When I attended the PM Forum seminar on branding 18 years ago, I found it jam-packed with inquisitive marketers, all eager to learn and share. Fast forward to today: the same subject, and the same outcome.

Of course, there’s no magic formula. Branding is a complex subject, but investing and adapting is up there as a ‘must do’. The Big Four continue to invest and evolve. They’re still evolving as they spread into the digital space. The need to look modern and relevant also shapes their corporate identities (Deloitte’s makeover of its iconic green dot is a good example).

What have we learned over this period?

• Don’t settle for vanilla. It doesn’t help you differentiate
• Dig deep to unearth something different. It’s there. Keep digging
• Be brave in how you express your difference. Be creative. Push boundaries
• Build, protect and enhance your brand identity. Keep evolving
• Lead from the front, but take your partners and colleagues with you
• Create a fusion of talent and experiences. Look at things differently
• Excite and be excited. This creates an appetite for more – and it makes the process more enjoyable!

The Leaderboard

There are no prizes for the quiz (sorry, we are from the north!) but our congratulations go to:

1. Charlie McCormick, corporate copywriter, 20
2. Keith Hardie, BCLP, 19
3. Claire Wright, JA Kemp, 19
4. Matt Duggan, HSBC Global Banking & Markets, 18
5. Liz Chappell, Totum, 17
6. Jane Evans, Walkers, 17
7. Clint Evans, RPC, 16
8. Alison Boothby, Alison Boothby Communications, 15
9. James Stringer, Allen & Overy, 15
10. James Knott, Vail Willams LLP, 14
11. Martin Stern, Optichrome, 14
12. Andrew Morgan, Fieldfisher, 12
13. Cathy Taylor, Enable Business Solutions,12
14. Morag Campbell, PM Forum, 11
15. Gareth Chadwick, Wordswork, 11
16. Katy McAteer, Ropes & Gray, 11
17. Alison Horrocks, Inmarsat, 10
18. Brett Israel, Marriott Harrison, 9
19. Anna Williams, RPC, 8
20. Nicky van Rensburg, Aon South Africa, 8

Thank you to everyone who played. We hope you enjoyed it.

And here’s to the next 20 years?!

If you still fancy testing your memory and expertise, play the quiz here.