Accounting Firm Hires Celebrity Spokesman
Demonstrating how much more advanced accounting firms are in marketing compared with law firms, the J.H. Cohn accounting firm hired New York Yankees manager Joe Torre to be their celebrity spokesman.
"Joe Torre Joins The J.H. Cohn Team," proclaims the firm Web site. "Joe Torre knows all about the art of managing--and how to get results. Which is why he's a perfect fit to partner with J.H. Cohn. Because at the end of the day, it's all about having a winning strategy, an experienced consulting team and outstanding performance."
According to Inside Public Accounting, he is part of a $6 million advertising campaign that will be spread over three years. The Roseland, N.J.-based firm has annual revenues of $143.4 million, 96 partners, 722 total staff and eight offices.
CEO Tom Marino told IPA, "Torre's name kept coming up time and time again, because he's hard-working, a quiet team player, has excellent technical skills, and takes care of his team and its constituencies. He also embodies J.H. Cohn's geographic market: the metro New York area."
Firm ads featuring Torre appeared on mass transit displays and public phone kiosks. Radio spots aired during drive-time shows and print ads ran in the Wall Street Journal, Crain's New York Business and CFO magazine. they are designed to raise long-term brand awareness, not sales.
"It would seem that Joe Torre is a pretty safe figure to be associated with J.H. Cohn. But I wonder, as more accounting firms go this route, where will it take the profession?" asked Howard Wolosky, Executive Editor of Practical Accountant magazine. "Will there be multi-million dollar endorsement contacts with morality clauses which college athletes sign before they go pro? Maybe the accounting firms will just sign coaches and managers. But even then, there have been coaches and managers that badmouthed players, threw chairs on a basketball court, and have had terrible losing streaks. There is only one Joe Torre out there, and right now he is on J.H. Cohn's team. Or should I say at least until he declares free agency?"
You failed to mention the advertising agency the is producing the ads!
In today's edition of The New York Times (10/22) on page C2, the company ran a wonderful ad with the headline "Still pitching for J.H. Cohn, Joe Torre, with this copy: "The events of the past couple of days have accentuated all the positive characteristics of Joe Torre. He is a proven leader, a world-class manager, andd a role model for all, both in business and life. We are proud that he is our spokesperson and friend, and we continue to support him 100 percent. Joe, we're proud of you."