Blue murder

It is well known that branding can be a perilous exercise - but fatal? Obiter never thought so until the latest 'market repositioning' from DLA, which on its face appears little more than an unnecessary shift in the shade of blue the firm uses.

Surely, we thought, the new, pale logo was the bright idea of some 23-year-old marketing whizz with nothing better to do.

But Obiter understands that the motive for the change was embarrassment in Hong Kong, where DLA's old dark blue (below) - innocent enough to Western eyes - is imbued with dark significance.

A source explains: 'That colour blue was associated with death and funerals in Hong Kong.

It wasn't a positive colour.' Not the kind of office a SARS-fearing population would be likely to turn to, for sure.