Why the “Can I Sue?” campaign is a masterclass in brand & search strategy
- Remi Audette
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
When you think of law firms, what comes to mind? Traditional fonts. Serious headshots. Heavy words like justice, accountability, and compensation. It’s safe, formal, and… predictable.
Then along comes Carbone Lawyers with a campaign that flips that script entirely: “Can I Sue?”.
With its own website, canisue.com.au, eye-catching out-of-home advertising, and playful illustrations, it’s unlike anything their audience has seen from them before. And that’s exactly what makes it brilliant.
A sub-brand that breaks the mould
One of the smartest moves here is how Can I Sue? functions almost like a sub-brand.
Carbone has found a way to speak to a new audience — people who are unsure about their legal options — without overhauling the trusted Carbone brand.
Fresh entry point
The campaign allows Carbone to communicate in a modern, approachable voice, while still maintaining the authority and trust associated with the main law firm.
Lower barrier
By asking the exact question their audience is already thinking (“Can I sue?”), Carbone makes it easy for people to engage, without feeling intimidated by legal jargon.
It’s a clever way to expand perception: Carbone is still the established, respected law firm, but now they also feel accessible, empathetic, and relevant to everyday legal questions.
Humanising legal services
The brilliance of the campaign is in its language and tone. Can I Sue? isn’t about clever legalese, but real, conversational, and directly taps into how people think when something goes wrong.
Relatable
The question is simple, honest, and mirrors actual human thought.
Empowering
It gives people permission to explore their rights and take the first step toward resolution.
Memorable
Combined with modern illustrations and a playful visual style, it sticks in people’s minds.
This approach changes the perception of Carbone from a traditional law firm to a trusted ally that makes legal issues easier to navigate.
Search strategy meets branding
Beyond the clever branding, there’s a strong search and SEO play happening here:
Owning the intent
“Can I sue?” is a high-intent search query. People type it when they’re actively seeking answers — exactly the audience Carbone wants to reach.
Long-tail and voice search advantage
Phrases like “Can I sue for defamation?” or “Can I sue after a car accident?” are prime opportunities for Carbone to appear highly in search results.
Brand + performance
The campaign combines emotional storytelling and discoverability. It’s memorable, yes, but it’s also strategically aligned with how people search for legal help.
Memorable offline-to-online connection
When I first saw this campaign on a billboard (pictured below) I Googled it. It was so easy to remember: all I had to type was ‘Can I sue?’ and I landed right on their site. Simple, bold, and easy to recall from out-of-home ads.
Opportunities to strengthen SEO
Looking at Carbone’s backlink profile, much of it isn’t made up of highly authoritative links. If they want Can I Sue? to become an evergreen campaign — which it absolutely could — there’s a clear opportunity to strengthen it with a PR-driven content strategy and strategic link building.
Launching a white paper or report on common legal questions, personal injury trends, or insights from Carbone’s experience (while respecting client confidentiality) could:
Generate high-quality backlinks from reputable media outlets and industry sites.
Position Carbone as a thought leader in the legal space.
Provide linkable assets that support ongoing organic search growth and broader marketing efforts.
By pairing this with outreach to complementary sites, legal directories, and professional associations, the campaign could gain lasting authority and visibility, ensuring it remains memorable and discoverable well beyond its initial launch.
Using search insights to drive smarter brand strategy
Carbone’s campaign shows why it’s so valuable for brand, marketing, and SEO teams to work together.
SEO and search insights don’t just reveal what people are typing into Google, but they can also show what your audience is thinking, feeling, and asking.
When brand and marketing teams collaborate with SEO, those insights can directly inform messaging, creative campaigns, and positioning, ensuring your campaigns are not only bold and memorable but also discoverable and relevant.
That’s why we love helping teams bridge the gap between brand strategy and search.
If you're a creative or marketing team looking for an SEO agency to help turn audience insights into bold, brand-building campaigns, we’d love to chat.
