Grant Thornton

The corporate financial advice market is dominated by the 'big four' global players (PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst & Young) to the extent that smaller competitors such as Grant Thornton have found it difficult to generate awareness and, consequently, traction.

Grant Thornton wanted to increase brand awareness amongst larger companies, particularly in the City of London. It also wanted to challenge and engage with the market's perception of Grant Thornton and its capabilities, and to demonstrate that it is a genuine alternative to the big four.

To achieve this, it commissioned its first-ever advertising campaign from Leicester-based agency Big Communications, as part of a strategy to establish itself as a 'challenger' brand, providing an alternative to the 'establishment' of the big four. A key objective was considered to be challenging the assumption in London that the big four are the only providers of specialist financial services before the selling of services could begin. As a result, activity would require an emotional response to communications.