Feud for Thought

Some might say that the decision by Santander, the Spanish bank, to publicise the productivity of its relationship with Abbey, its UK subsidiary, through an advertising campaign drawing parallels to the team spirit of the McLaren Mercedes Formula One outfit, has been a disaster.

After all, the F1 team’s Spanish driver, Fernando Alonso, has whinged all season that McLaren favours its British driver, Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, who will be hoping he can seal the world title tomorrow in China, has, in turn, moaned he wants Alonso out of the team. Meanwhile, Ron Dennis, the team principal, had an argument with the Spaniard, which ultimately led McLaren to be stripped of all points in the constructors’ championship and fined $100 million for its involvement in a spy scandal. Frankly, more team spirit has been exhibited by Britney Spears and Kevin Federline.

On closer inspection, while Santander’s campaign has undoubtedly been the biggest clanger in sports sponsorship since a relegated Sheffield Wednesday forced its players to sport pink and yellow Chupa-Chups logos on their shirts, the bank has inadvertently made an important point. In real life, teamwork is rarely how it is presented in corporate brochures: all smiles and hugs between people of different racial backgrounds…

Read atTimes Online