Stoy Hayward launches advertising drive

STOY HAYWARD is this week throwing down the gauntlet to its rivals in the middle ground of the accountancy profession by unveiling a nationwide advertising campaign designed to demonstrate it is "clearly associated with growing business".

The move, which is costing about pounds 500,000, comes as many firms are responding to the increased pressure at the top of the market caused by the planned merger of the Big Six organisations Coopers & Lybrand and Price Waterhouse by stressing their allegiance to the vibrant owner-manager sector.

But Adrian Martin, Stoy's managing partner, believes they will find it difficult to match his practice's expertise in this area. "Stoys is a post-War firm," he says. "We've always acted for post-War industries.... It's in our blood and part of our culture."

The campaign is the latest stage in a strategy review begun three years ago. Although it in effect began a few days ago with "teaser" posters with the strapline "Go Forth and Multiply", it hits its stride today, when about 280 sites around England will carry posters with the first two words of that line replaced with "Come Here", with the firm's logo below.

In an attempt to show that there is substance behind the slogan "Business Grow-How", the initiative has also involved sending partners to some of the world's leading business schools and carrying out extensive research.