Midland in 2m ‘extravaganza’

Midland Bank is putting 2m behind a two-week music and entertainment extravaganza under what is billed as the biggest people’s festival venue in Europe.

The festival, which will feature the name MiDLAND, will be held in and around Battersea Power Station in London. One bank source says: “It’s going to be huge. It’s the bank giving back something to the people.”

Midland will be the sole sponsor of the event in November.

Last month, sponsorship and donations manager Belinda Furneaux-Harris announced a 1m charity sponsorship package following a year-long review of the bank’s sponsorship policy. The major recipients will be Shelter, Age Concern and National Deaf Children’s Society.

In March, Midland announced it would extend its sponsorship of ITV’s Drama Premier series beyond the one-year term of the original deal.

Midland has undergone major changes in its marketing department since the start of the year. General manager, marketing, card and electronic banking Peter Godfrey and head of consumer marketing Mark Searles both quit in May.

Earlier this year, the bank dropped the griffin and adopted the corporate logo of parent HSBC. The “Listening Bank” strapline has also been revived.