Overview of branding and promotion strategy for American Bar Association "ABA Connection" a monthly program offering lawyers free, valuable Continuing Legal Education (CLE). The campaign raised registrants from an average of 955, to an average of 2319: a 265% increase! First place Echo winner, 2001. Presented by Michelle Clairmont at the Echo Winners Luncheon.

1. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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2001 DMA Echo
1st Place Award Winner
Case Study

2. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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Echo Award Case Study
Challenges to promoting ABA Connection:
• CHALLENGE 1: Lawyers receive a lot of mail and have secretaries or
paralegals who weed out anything that could be considered junk mail.
These "gatekeepers" can impede getting direct mail messaging to the end
user –the lawyer.
• CHALLENGE 2: In 1999, Lawyers had a low awareness about ABA's
free monthly Continuing Legal Education (CLE).
• CHALLENGE 3: Interest in CLE is motivated by topic and mandatory
requirements. Mandatory requirements vary from state to state.
• CHALLENGE 4: Such is the demand, there is a glut of institutions offering
CLE. And thus, there is also a glut of CLE seminar advertisements within
the marketplace. Furthermore, CLE seminars provided by local, state,
and county legal associations may cover local laws and mandates, which
may seem more relevant to the audience.

3. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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Echo Award Case Study
Solution - To breakthrough the "gatekeeper" /strengthen brand:
An oversized postcard format was used. That way the front of the
postcard, which is visually arresting through its use of color and
unusual imagery, grabs the lawyer's attention immediately.
Although the imagery
and topic change from
month to month, the look
and feel of the postcards
is consistent. The monthly
frequency also reinforces
brand recognition.

4. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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Echo Award Case Study
Solution - To heighten interest in
attending the ABA Connection so it
is chosen over competing CLE:
The creative execution highlights the
topic of the seminar in an intriguing
way and states the immediate benefit
to the lawyer for attending.
Lawyers choose CLE seminars
primarily by topic. Some topics are
more specialized, while other topics
(like technology) have wide appeal to
multiple specialty areas.

5. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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Echo Award Case Study
Solution – multi-channel marketing
increases awareness:
ABA Connection CLE seminars are
promoted by direct mail, and also in
the ABA Journal. Lawyers read a
corresponding article in the magazine,
then participate in the seminar. The
CLE postcards drop 3 - 4 weeks before
the teleconference promoting the next
topic. The backs of the postcards have
a consistent layout, provide details of
the seminar, and simple directions for
where to find the article in the Journal,
and how to register and get CLE credit.

6. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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Echo Award Case Study
Solution - To increase awareness of
ABA Connection CLE as a monthly
program: The selection criteria was
expanded so that most ABA members
under the age of 55 receive the
message monthly.
To further increase recognition, the
next month's upcoming topic is always
included to reinforce the monthly timing
of the seminar. Additionally, if the
lawyer is not interested in this month's
seminar, he/she may be interested in
the next month's or future topics.

7. American Bar Association: ABA Connection
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Echo Award Case Study
RESULTS:
• 265% INCREASE IN RESPONSE!
• Before the campaign launched, the number of registrations for a
CLE teleconference ranged from 534 - 1400 registrants.
(Average registration was 955 from Nov 98 - Oct 99 - prior campaign.)
• After the campaign was launched, registration skyrocketed, and
ranged from 2000 - 3400. (Average registration was 2319 Nov. '99 –
Oct.'00 post campaign.) Echo award given for this time period.
• Attendance is still growing. Average registration for Nov ‘00 –
Oct ’01 was 2688 per seminar (a 15% increase). Average
registration for Nov ’01 to October ’02 was 3444 per seminar (a
28% increase - note: e-mail promotion was added in April 2002).
Note: topics and season drive registration. Topics do not occur on a comparable year to year schedule. For
example, the "tax" topic does not always occur in October. However, over a year's time, similar topics will
have occurred. Response rate was computed based on annual average registration over a comparable
twelve-month period.