Brand and club alliances: Manchester United and Britannia Building Society

Rowley, Jennifer (2005) Brand and club alliances: Manchester United and Britannia Building Society. Management Research News, 28 (8). pp. 55-60. ISSN 0140-9174

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Abstract

Britannia Building Society has launched a collec tion of financial services products in partnership with Manchester United Football Club. Other products have also been launched that are designed ‘exclusively for Manchester City Supporters’. These brand alliances are particularly interesting because both parties have ‘membership clubs’ which reward customers for loyalty. The nature of member association with the respective clubs is different. Britannia Building Society (Britannia) is a mutual building society in the tradition in which investors and borrowers are building society members. Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) is a leading football club and a major consumer brand. The brand straplines on the two Rewards leaflets capture this difference: Britannia: ‘where membership means a great deal’ MUFC: ‘you win, we win’.