A combination of experience, intuition and analysis. Typically, we sit together and review new ideas and concepts, often using research to gauge consumer reaction.
- What is the main marketing challenge you face?
Getting people to remember that we are part of the 10th-biggest banking group in the world, with more branches internationally than any other bank. And that we dropped 'National' a couple of years ago.
- Describe the marketing team in three words.
Motivated, driven, hard-working.
- Do Abbey marketers get special deals on banking and mortgages?
All Abbey staff receive special deals.
- Abbey sponsors F1, does the marketing team get free tickets?
For this year's Santander British Grand Prix, we took over an entire grandstand with more than 1000 seats for employees and customers. We ran a staff competition to win tickets for the warm-up day, qualifying day or race day.
- What are the other perks of the job?
The opportunity to work for an international bank; to manage and communicate market-leading products; to work with a range of animals in our ad campaign, and even learn some Spanish.
- Is there a dress code?
Yes, smart business dress.
- What are the hours like?
The office is covered 8am to 6pm.
- What is Abbey like for training and career progression?
There are numerous courses we can choose from. We also have half-yearly reviews and a personal development plan, which is agreed in these reviews.
- What about the salary and benefits package?
We have a competitive salary plus benefits, including use of the gym, reduced rates on financial products, free shares and various other initiatives throughout the year, such as the opportunity to volunteer within the community and a matched donation scheme for charity work.
- Does the marketing team socialise outside of office hours?
Yes - as much as possible. We are a sociable team who enjoy the odd pint (or two).
- Are there any downsides?
Not as many trips to Spain as we had hoped.
FACT FILE
- Abbey has 16,500 UK employees, almost 200 of whom work in marketing.
- Key brands include Abbey, Cahoot, Abbey for Intermediaries, Cater Allen, James Hay, Santander Asset Management.
- Its annual UK promotional spend is just over 拢30m, and total income in 2006 was 拢3.5bn.
- Abbey is based at 2 Triton Square, London NW1.