Sentimentality rules at CBA

Commonwealth Bank will spend "an additional $100 million over the next 10 years" on community contributions and donations, the bank said yesterday - a piece of public relations intended to focus attention on its forthcoming paid marketing around the bank's centenary.

The bank didn't disclose the value of current spending on these activities. The 2011 annual report mentions only A$3.5 million in specific donations, though the actual level of spending is likely a lot more than this.

The bank's annual report and website also chooses not spell out the dollar value of funding for the Commonwealth Bank Foundation (this supports programs relating to financial literacy) or for grants made through its staff community fund.

CBA used trade media yesterday to promote its latest advertising, which will, perhaps only for a brief period, employ the tag line "100 years together".

Some of the advertising sounds indistinguishable from a lot of other creative work done over the years. So stand by for plenty of sentimentality around Diggers and disasters, and some well-worn images of big sporting moments.