It is most likely about signaling (branding as you say). For example, by bringing young, good looking consultants, you are using prestige pressure to force a ce

It is most likely about signaling (branding as you say). For example, by bringing young, good looking consultants, you are using prestige pressure to force a certain strategy. Most of what they have to say is fairly trivial, and anyone with decent analysis skills could do it, but that's not why there are there (http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2012/02/robin-hansons-theory-of-young-consultants.html http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2012/02/rob...). I think the same kind of signaling is used at its fullest in big banks investment dpts. In most cases, what is actually done by e.g. quants is far from very sophisticated mathematically speaking. But you can more easily claim that what you do is complicated if most of your quants are from prestigious institutions. Having everyone coming from a similar set of cultural values also helps cohesion.