Transport for London’s flagship sponsorship picked up two major awards at the prestigious 2022 UK Sponsorship Awards ceremony.
Santander Cycles (TfL’s long-running cycle hire scheme, which has been sponsored by Santander Bank since 2015) was announced as the winner of both the Sponsorship Continuity and the Financial Services Spotlight categories.
Over the course of Santander’s sponsorship, the scheme has grown to the largest in Europe, with 14,000 bikes distributed over 100 square kilometres around London and, in 2021, a record 10.9 million hires. New innovations introduced to the scheme in this time include adding Blaze lighting (developed by Beryl) to the front of the bikes, GPS tracking, and an innovative new app to enhance the rider experience.
Santander’s submission to these awards was supported by research carried out by PHAR’s Insight division for our client, Transport for London, demonstrating not just the success of the scheme itself, but the impact that the sponsorship has had on public attitudes and behaviours towards the Santander brand. Amongst the findings, for instance, our research showed:
The cycle hire scheme has stronger associations than any other London landmark or event with values such as “Environmental Sustainability”, “Good for Society” and “Valuable Community Asset”.
The sponsorship resonates at a national level, with twice as many non-Londoners aware of Santander’s sponsorship of the scheme as Londoners.
Nearly all of Santander’s brand image statements are higher amongst those aware of the sponsorship.
Users of the scheme are 80% more likely to own a Santander product than non-users.
Harriet McDonald, TfL’s Commercial Partnerships Lead commented “Santander has been a fantastic sponsor over the past 7 years and it’s great to see their brilliant work in supporting London’s cycle hire scheme recognised in this way. PHAR have put together an exceptional programme of research and evaluation to identify the value that the sponsorship delivers to Santander as a powerful and resonant marketing investment. The quality of PHAR’s work can be seen in its role both in supporting Santander’s decision to renew the sponsorship for a further three years, and also in the impression it has made on the Sponsorship Awards judges. It’s a fantastic piece of work – incredibly rigorous and exactly what we need.”
Alastair Macdonald, Managing Director of PHAR, added “Whilst the cycle hire scheme clearly delivers exceptional exposure for the Santander brand 52 weeks a year, there’s always a question as to whether sponsorships such as this actually work. From this research, it’s very evident that the sponsorship has not only helped build awareness and image for the Santander brand from already strong levels, but has made a difference to people’s actual purchase choices. It’s an exceptionally effective sponsorship, and we’re very proud that our work has played a small role in Santander’s winning submission.”
PHAR Partnerships offers experience and knowledge in the shared mobility schemes, and capable research and analytical ability that could assist brands in evaluating the effectiveness and the impact of their sponsorships or partnerships. Reach out to us at info@pharpartnerships.com!