Since 2009, Roger Federer has been advertising for Credit Suisse in a bank branch, sometimes with a tennis racket, sometimes in a suit. The Swiss sports star is probably the most prominent name in the register of sponsorship contracts for a wide variety of athletes – but does Federer have to fear damage to his image in view of the crisis at the Swiss bank?
Roger Federer is probably the most well-known advertising face of the big bank.
Swiss credit
As Christian Lang, marketing expert and head of sports management at the University of St. Gallen, told Blick, this is unlikely. “Of course, such headlines are not nice for anyone who has a connection to Credit Suisse,” says Lang. The bank mainly uses the Roger Federer brand, in the other direction the relationship is rather small. “Apart from advertising services, Federer does not actively communicate that CS is a partner,” says the marketing expert.
Federer therefore does not suffer from the CS crash, according to Lang. Credit Suisse will probably continue the cooperation as well: “Particularly on the part of the bank, there is currently a great deal of dependence on partnerships,” he says. Now it is a matter of rebuilding a good reputation for CS and creating positive associations with partners such as Federer. (bho)
