By Oliver Smith on Friday 6 March 2020
The mobile-only bank will be the team’s “official banking partner”.
Digital bank Starling has become an official sponsor of Team GB in the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The news comes amid heightened concern that the Tokyo Olympics could be disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, for which several fintechs are already preparing for.
Regardless, Starling CEO Anne Boden said the bank was: “extremely privileged to be the official Bank of Team GB and will be sharing our excitement with customers in a number of creative ways over the next few months, which we hope will add to the feeling of community that the Olympic Games inspires.”
Starling’s chief banking officer Helen Bierton, a former British Olympic archer herself, said: “Team GB taught me just how important the support of sponsors is when you’re trying to prepare for the Games in the right way, perform to the best of your ability and win medals.”
The move comes amid an increasingly high-profile marketing effort by the digital bank, which has invested heavily in TV and billboard ads in recent months.
At the same time Monzo, which sailed past 4m customers this week, has increasingly pulled back from above-the-line marketing and its VP marketing Tristan Thomas confirmed on Twitter this week that the bank was increasingly focused on organic/word-of-mouth for its growth.
As part of its Team GB sponsorship Starling will be offering each GB athlete a Starling account with £100 “to help them achieve their next financial goal”.
21 March 2023
Daniel Lanyon