Merrill Lynch Global
The investment banking group wanted to highlight their strength and capability, and elevate their role to lead advisor. Initially skeptical of their 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 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.
Merrill Lynch asked for one ad promoting their M&A capability. We recommended bringing the bull back after years of absence from their brand, and turned “who do you want in the room” into a $10mm campaign.