Brantley Davis, President Brantley Davis Ad Agency
Says Reaching Gen Z Comes Down to Social Media, Youtube and Pushing the Creative Envelope
August 20, 2025 03:00 AM
Key Takeaways
- Law firms are shifting from traditional ads to creator-driven social media marketing to reach younger audiences
- Marketing to Gen Z is seen as a long-term investment, not immediate client acquisition
- Firms face regulatory and logistical challenges adapting to modern media
Injury law firm marketing has so much cultural relevance that it has inspired a “Saturday Night Live” skit and an entire play.
Brands continue to evoke the easily recognizable, oftentimes chaotic nature of these campaigns. Early last week, e.l.f. spoofed old Cellino & Barnes ads with a campaign that saw comedian Matt Rife and drag star Heidi N Closet defend wallets damaged by overpriced beauty products. The company also ran a fictional firm called “e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes.” (e.l.f. has since faced backlash for the campaign due to Rife’s inclusion in the ad, as the comic joked about domestic violence in his 2023 Netflix special “Natural Selection.”)
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But as these law firms age, so too do the audiences they seek. Many have realized the need to pivot from TV-centric media buys near tired courtroom shows like “Hot Bench” and “Judge Judy” and dated creative—think jingles, repeated phone numbers and cheesy “Have you been injured?” entreaties. Now, they are investing in reaching younger consumers through virality, memes and creators.
“Gen Z’s adulting era is here, and it’s playing out on social,” said Evan Horowitz, CEO of creative agency Movers+Shakers, via email. “In 2025, you’re more likely to meet your future lawyer, chiropractor, or business coach on your FYP than through a friend. Gen Z trusts creators as much (or more) than traditional institutions, and now they’re aging into the life stage where they actually need these more ‘serious’ adulting services.”
Gen Z may not need representation anytime soon, but marketing to them now is an investment in the future, said Daniel Morgan, managing partner at Morgan & Morgan.
“When we’re going after someone who’s in high school listening to a podcast on the way to school, that person might not be a client of ours until 20 years later,” he said. “It’s really about planting seeds and making sure people know about us. The next generation is crucial.”
Much of that work is being done on social media with the assistance of creators. Morgan & Morgan is preparing to multiply its influencer marketing budget by 10 next year due to the increased number of cases it’s getting from advertising on social media, often with creators, Morgan said. Firms such as Los Angeles-based Wisner Baum have also begun to position their attorneys as creators by starring them in social media posts that take viewers behind the scenes of a law practice.
A few firms stand out for their impressive social followings. Still, many have struggled to establish a social presence as they navigate an increasingly fragmented media landscape, which is further exacerbated by varying state regulations surrounding attorney advertising.
How injury law firms are reaching Gen Z
Several firms have successfully translated their sense of humor to social media, and many find it easier to be funny online than on TV. Meme culture, in particular, has been a boon for firms.
“Social media is more permissive,” said Brantley Davis, president of law firm marketing agency Brantley Davis Ad Agency, which counts among its clients The Barnes Firm and Cellino Law, among other law firms. “It’s more expected that the ads take a chance and actually entertain.”
Some of the more adept and humorous social marketing from regional firms is coming from New York-based Niamehr Law Firm (AKA Tell Daniel Law).
Morgan & Morgan has partnered with big-name comedians such as Tim Dillon, Theo Von and Andrew Schultz. As it has become easier to attribute new cases to particular ads and creators, the firm has found that business leads are increasingly coming from YouTube.
The firm has in-housed its creator marketing to avoid agency and middleman fees that can pile up when working with internet talent, Morgan said. In fact, his family takes an active approach to appearing in creator and social content. Daniel Morgan has about 10,000 followers on Instagram and is often tagged in social ads that he appears in.
His father, Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan, has also appeared in Gen Z-focused content. In late July, he starred in a sponsored Jubilee video titled “20 People Confront a Billionaire,” where he answered tough questions about wealth disparity.
Firms have also relied on social media to support their billboards and radio ads. TopDog Law, known for its over-the-top radio commercials where a man tirades about his injuries to overly dramatic music, has inspired reaction content that sometimes gets hundreds of thousands of views. Those ads have directed listeners to its Instagram account, which has nearly 500,000 followers.
TopDog Law declined an interview.
Why some firms have struggled to adapt
Despite a few standouts, many firms have struggled to adapt to a modern media landscape, Davis said. Most have yet to develop a proper creator marketing strategy.
“They’re burnt out,” he said. “They’ve got broadcast TV, CTV, OTT, social media and billboards, and they’re trying to practice law … and there’s legwork involved. There are services that find and identify creators, but a lot of law firms are just not doing that right now.”
Many, including Morgan & Morgan, are also contending with getting AI models to refer them to potential clients.
Also read: AEO drawbacks—why marketers are pouring cold water on the AI search strategy
Attorneys also face strict advertising regulations that vary among states. Some require disclosures about fees, costs, or the type of services offered, while others require that advertisements be submitted for review and approval, said Linda Goldstein, partner at law firm BakerHostetler.
“The biggest challenge is that the state laws vary, so getting to the lowest common denominator is generally the approach, and then you have to make sure all content creators adhere to that,” she said in an email exchange.
Creators, especially comedians, can be challenging to work with given all of these rules. “Tim Dillon is a good example of that,” Daniel Morgan said. “He’s been great, but he’s definitely had some moments in the past where he’s just gone off … we’re a law firm, and we have to have some standards here.”
Tim Dillon Morgan & Morgan Ad (Morgan & Morgan)
Despite these challenges, it’s essential that firms step out of their comfort zones and begin to ingratiate themselves with Gen Z in new ways, Davis said.
“These law firms have to push the creative envelope,” he said. “I don’t see many still pushing … and that’s the only way to break through.”