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Will Ernst & Young Be the Next Firm to Get a Makeover?

It sounds like it! Judging by the article over at Marketing Week ideas are being kicked around and since PwC got all retro-fancy, the E&Y brand overlords figured they should throw some money at the situation.

Ernst & Young (E&Y) is looking to develop a new brand proposition that encompasses the breadth of its businesses and talent of its staff as it becomes the latest of the “big four” professional services networks to try and differentiate itself. The network will work with newly appointed creative agency The Assembly to create an overarching brand idea that can be used across its different businesses – advisory, recruitment or auditing, for example – and the territories it works in.

But the real dealio is that PwC and Deloitte are leaving E&Y in the dust when it comes to revenues. That and fact is, something needs to happen and fast because no one can tell the difference between any of the Big 4.

Recent financial results have found E&Y falling behind PwC and Deloitte. The firm posted global revenue of £13.3bn in its last financial year, down from the £13.4bn registered in 2009. Deloitte and PwC both recently registered increases, to £16.7bn. The professional services giant will also be hoping the new identity sets it apart from its three main rivals, with some observers suggesting that there is little perceived difference.

And the obvious solution to "little perceived difference" means changing the look of the firm completely. That being said, we need ideas fro you, our brilliant readers. What should E&Y do to differentiate its brand? What about slogans? "Quality in Everything We Do" seems a little played. What about, "We're the Firm That Audits the Emmys!" Perhaps, "Zitor works for us!" Or simply, "Our opinion indicated that Lehman’s financial statements for that year were fairly presented in accordance with GAAP!" Even a more important questions – should they incorporate a mascot? Maybe an E&Y Phanatic? A live animal may do the trick. Or this. Let's hear some ideas.

Ernst & Young looks to stand out among “big four” [Marketing Week]