These days, it’s very rare that something goes wrong for superstar personal injury lawyer Anh Phoong, but the Sacramento-based icon found herself in a bit of controversy this week amid a big expansion. Phoong, who has become legendary for her eye-catching ads and slogan, launched a billboard design contest on Instagram. The first prize? $500.
That figure turned out to be a problem. It was also a good excuse to check in with Phoong to let her set the record straight and chat about everything from her California expansion to the origins of her famous slogan.
After a flood of comments suggesting that the fee was insulting to graphic designers, Phoong raised the reward to $5,000. In an interview with SFGATE, she explained that she arrived at the original number because it matched other giveaway contests she had run before for holidays, and she increased the prize once she understood the backlash.
“This was never ever a way for me to get cheap work or free work. Or disrespect anyone’s job or their line of creativity, or discount anyone’s services. Once I realized it was coming off like that, I was like, ‘no, no, no,’” she told SFGATE.
Although it’s hard to believe, given how iconic her ads are, Phoong said that she’s never actually hired a dedicated graphic designer. The ubiquitous blue and yellow ads that feature her standing proudly in the center were actually created by the billboard companies themselves as part of a package deal.
The trademark slogan, however, wasn’t the work of any advertising firm but rather an idea that came while on a cruise to Florida when she was bombarded with ads from another personal injury lawyer and found herself singing their jingle by the end of the trip. She realized she didn’t have any type of slogan, so she began brainstorming with her husband.
“We were just throwing around ideas. And then my husband’s like, ‘Something wrong, call Anh Phoong!’ I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s so cheesy, and that’s so perfect,’” she said.
Although it’s unlikely that any submitted design would unseat such a perfect tagline, Phoong hopes that she will be able to use the new design on a billboard, given that she receives permission from the entrant and that it meets legal guidelines for marketing law services.
As for her firm itself, Phoong Law has continued to grow and now has nearly 70 employees, with a recent expansion outside of California into Las Vegas and plans to set up shop in a third state soon. When she’s not expanding her empire, you can usually find her on the weekends at her kids’ sporting events or shamelessly unwinding with reality TV.
“Okay this is a secret — you’ve gotta let everybody know — I watch ‘Real Housewives.’ I love all that drama. When the kids are asleep … I turn on ‘Real Housewives.’ I watch it all, it’s so good. I love them all, but right now, I’m really into the Salt Lake City girls. They have so much going on. With the Orange County stuff, it’s played out, it’s been dragging on.”
