Since 2008, cj Advertising has had the privilege of working with Nurenberg Paris, an Ohio-based firm with more than 85 years in the business. Recently, we sat down with Managing Partner David Paris to discuss the creative direction for their advertising, as well as his vision for the future of their firm.
Recently, your firm shifted away from a paid spokesperson in your commercials. In fact, you just completed your first studio shoot as the on-screen talent. What led to that change?
We aired our first commercials in 1984, but never really embraced the idea of having one of our own attorneys act as a spokesperson. We just felt there was no clear choice within a firm with nine partners. Recently, I agreed to serve as our spokesperson, but only if I was surrounded by my partners, attorneys, and staff. Starting with a location shoot in July 2012, and then a studio shoot in April 2013, we have been extremely pleased with how cj has integrated the many practice areas and faces of the firm with my voice and image.
What were the most challenging parts of the process?
Two of the greatest challenges were deciding which practice areas to shoot, while completely removing all our spots from the last three years. The day of the shoot was definitely more physically challenging than I thought it would be. I never imagined being so fatigued that I would need a sip of Red Bull.
How was the studio shoot different than the EXP/location shoots you’ve done at your firm?
The studio shoot was much more intense! There were more takes to get the scripting just right. The EXP shoots were more conversational and relaxed.
Most of our attorneys and staff were born and raised in the northeastern Ohio area. We are proud of our community and want our TV spots to reflect that. Only a location shoot can portray our hometown and our communities in a way that will resonate with potential clients. The location shoot has also set our TV spots apart from any other firm in our market. They are unique and genuine.
A significant part of your branding message is your 85 years of experience. To what extent has “Experience Matters” been effective?
Our firm has been in existence longer than any other personal injury firm in our market, perhaps in the state of Ohio. We’re proud of our history, our experience helping over 75,000 personal injury clients, and the cases we’ve tried in courtrooms all over the state.
We will turn 85 years old this year. Our brand, Experience Matters, is now four years old, and is really in its infancy compared to our history. We have had positive feedback from old clients, referring attorneys, and judges about our new location spots that highlight that experience. We hope these spots portray a legacy, knowledge, and trust to which potential clients will be drawn.
How do you hope to leave the firm for the next generation, and what do you want the next 85 years to look like for Nurenberg Paris?
We plan to leave the firm better than when we joined it years ago. I want the firm to continue to thrive, adjust to legislative changes, and maintain its commitment to helping injured people.
Our young associates are groomed to be accomplished trial lawyers by first working on the smaller soft tissue cases. They are mentored by the partners until they find the practice area to which they are suited and in turn become successful. We are very pleased that my daughter, Dana, has recently joined the firm as an associate, and Jamie’s son, Jordan, will be joining the firm later this year.
What will the next 85 years look like? With continued innovations, growth in social media, and changes in tort reform, we will have to develop new tools for managing the firm and finding new opportunities. We will continue to maintain a strong reputation throughout the state of Ohio as experienced trial attorneys who make a difference.
