Drinker Biddle’s Clever Holiday Card.

Holiday cards are tricky.  Law firms want to be creative and memorable, while needing to avoid anything marketing-oriented, religious, or clichéd (no snowy skylines, children’s artwork, pine trees, etc.).

We must cut through the clutter without risking offending people.  It’s a fine line, and most firms err on the side of boring.   Here’s a link to my historical screed on this subject; I really hate bad holiday cards.  (Or see “Your Law Firm’s Lame Holiday Card.”)

Many of you will know Drinker Biddle & Reath, the 650-lawyer national law firm.  I received their folding holiday card and thought it was simple and clever.  Here’s the cover:

Drinker Biddle & Reath has a fortuitous name (Reath/Wreath), something they can safely use in this holiday context.

Puns and word-play are more difficult than people realize; it’s easy to do them ham-handedly, like a sharp elbow in the ribs (“Get it? Huh? Get it? Reath? Wreath?  Funny, huh? Right?”).  Ugh.

A gentle touch is preferable, and I think this design hits just the right tone.   Nice job, CMO John M. Byrne and the DBR marketing team.

Full disclosure, Drinker Biddle is a client of Fishman Marketing, although we did not design this card.