Annual report 2009 - Santander

46The brandSantander, a strong and attractivebrand positioned among the world’sleading financial brandsSantander is the overarching brand which centralises the Group’sidentity and expresses a corporate culture, an internationalpositioning and a strong identity throught out the the world.It represents the essence, personality and values that makeSantander unique: dynamism, strength, innovation, leadership,a focus on business and professional ethics.Management of the brand is consistent throughout the Groupand continues to work for a single positioning in all marketswhere the Bank is present with a long-term outlook. Thisstrategic management has generated substantial results. Today,the Santander brand is a leader, strong and attractive, among theworld’s 100 best brands.The Santander brand means commitment to all of itsstakeholders: customers, shareholders, employees and society.It comprises three elements: the flame, the colour red and thename, Santander.The Bank’s symbol evokes the “S” of Santander, an “S” inmovement which is transformed into a flame and transmits light,leadership and colour. The base sustains the flame and gives itstability and solidity. The colour red represents leadership,strength, energy, determination and passion. The namerepresents the Bank’s origin and trajectory.“The value of ideas” is the slogan that always accompanies theSantander brand: it sums up the philosophy and way the Banksees things.Image and brand plan 2006-2009• The image and brand plan, whose main objective was toconsolidate the Bank as one of the world’s top 10 financialbrands, was completed in 2009. Today, Santander is amongthe top three financial brands, according to Brand Finance.• In 2009, significant steps were taken to install the Santanderbrand in the banks most recently acquired by Banco Santanderin key markets.In the UK, more than 1,000 branches of Abbey and Bradford& Bingley were already displaying the Santander image inJanuary 2010, and they will be followed by the 254 branchesof Alliance & Leicester. Studies show that awareness of theSantander brand in the UK has increased eightfold in the lastthree years and, today, the UK market recognises Santanderas a reference in the banking sector.In Brazil, after Banco Real’s incorporation to the Group,considerable integration efforts are being made in corporateculture, technology and operations and business, which willend with the installation of the Santander brand in all theGroup’s branches in the country in 2010.In the United States, after the acquisition of Sovereign, bothbrands exist side by side with the message, “A Bright Union.”Annual Report 2009