MERRILL LYNCH
It had been 20 years since Merrill Lynch used their iconic bull in advertising. The investment banking group wanted to highlight their strength and capability, and compete to elevate their role to lead advisor. Initially skeptical of the traditional iconography, we shared a novel treatment. Our idea was to shoot a real bull like a high-end sports car: black on black. The effect is a stunning display of strength, coupled with confident and compelling insight. Merrill Lynch Global Markets & Investment Banking Group closed record M&A and finance deals over the course of this campaign; including Cingular's $86 billion acquisition of Bell South, and subsequent reestablishment of the AT&T brand name. This campaign was initially briefed as a one-off. The business success inspired Merrill Lynch to invest in this idea, and we grew it into a $10 million campaign.