Branding: Merrill revives the bull

The bull is back! Bank of America Corp. has launched a new national advertising campaign for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management that features the iconic black bull that has long represented the Wall Street investment firm. The bull, who is named Dollar and lives on a ranch in Montana, is shown lumbering across the plains in impressive fashion as a voiceover describes a newer, stronger Merrill Lynch in partnership with parent Bank of America. Dollar was last seen in Merrill Lynch TV ads a couple of years ago. (You can view the new commercial at the end of this story) “The bull is a symbol of strength and optimism,” said Justine Metz, head of marketing for Bank of America Global Wealth and Investment Management. “In this period of uncertainty and investor inertia, we're bringing back the bull and emphasizing the enhanced capabilities that Merrill Lynch and Bank of America have to help clients move forward.” The 30-second spots began airing last week during the NBA playoffs and will run through September. They will be featured mostly during high-profile sports programming, including the U.S. Open golf championship, Wimbledon and early season NFL games. The campaign was created with advertising agency Hill Holliday, which also has helped produce a national advertising campaign for Bank of America's U.S. Trust division. Those TV ads will begin airing this summer.

Merrill's new ad