Cat de ridicoli pot fi bancherii!?

De pe la inceputul acestui an, eu si colegii mei ne distram copios uitandu-ne la un filmulet in care angajatii de la Ernst&Young canta o adaptare a piesei „Oh happy day”, a carei versuri vorbesc despre fericirea pe care o simti atunci cand te alaturi echipe E&A (click aici pentru a viziona clipul). Este pur si simplu gretos de privit la inceput, insa daca ai trecut de repulsia initiala nu poti decat sa razi cu lacrimi: „Oh happy day / Oh happy day/ When Ernst&Young / When Ernst&Young / Showed me the way”.

De curand avem o noua sursa de amuzament: un filmulet cel putin la fel de interesant, mai ales ca personajele principale sunt bancheri. Doi angajati de la Bank of America canta o versiune adaptata a celebrei piese U2 'One',  prin care celebreaza achizitia de catre banca a celui mai mare emitent independent de carduri din lume, MBNA, specializat in carduri de afinitate (click aici pentru a viziona clipul). Cantarea se pare ca a avut loc in august 2006, la o intalnire a directorilor din cadrul diviziei carduri. Cei doi interpreti sunt chitaristul Jim Debois, director executiv pentru piata de retail din Manhattan, si la voce Ethan Chandler, manager in centrala Bank of America din Manhattan.

Spectacolul celor doi bancheri este de-a dreptul comic, iar versurile cantecului sunt cel putin ridicole. Cateva exemple in original, in care bancherii canta despre cat de profitabila va fi integrarea celor doua banci, despre cum cele doua banci s-au unit intr-un singur spirit care ii va conduce catre standarde mai inalte sau despre cum vor ingenunchia competitia: „Integration’s never had us feeling so good / And we’ll make lots of money, forever I can sing”, „And it’s one bank / ... / One spirit / We get to share it / Leading us all to higher standards”, „We’ll live out our core values / While the competition crawls / ‘cause they want what we have got / But it’s only here at Bank of America”.

Propaganda corporatiilor si propaganda comunista

Partea groteasca a acestui tip de propaganda corporatista este ca aduce foarte mult cu perioada comunista si cantecele in care era slavit „Carmaciul”. Aceasta asemanare evidenta se poate observa foarte bine in filmuletul de aici, in care este mixata piesa celor de la E&A cu un cantec dedicat lui Lenin.

Muzica in banci nu este doar propaganda. Ea se poate naste din sentimente adevarate, generate de evenimente precum preluarea bancii la care lucrezi de catre un alt jucator de pe piata. Este cazul olandezilor de la ABN Amro si preluarea lor de catre Barclays Bank, care a generat cantecul „We won't survive” ('Nu vom supravietui. Cantecul fuziunii ABN Amro), un cover original dupa piesa „I will survive”, cantata de Gloria Gaynor.

Va prezentam in continuare piesa de rezistenta, piesa „One Bank", interpretata de cei doi bancheri de la Bank of America, versurile fiind preluate de pe www.stereogum.com. Cum legile marketingului si valorile corporatiste sunt globalizate, asteptam cu viu interes si exemple autohtone.

It is even better
Now that we’re the same
Two great companies come together
Now, MBNA is B of A
And it’s one bank
One card
One name that’s known all over the world
One spirit
We get to share it
Leading us all to higher standards
[ooohh, mmmm]
Do you like the cowboys?
Or your university?
Do you like the Yankees?
Or is NASCAR more your speed?
Well it’s your choice
Your right
To pick a card that shows
Your heart and your pride
We’re one with affinity
And we’ll carry each other
Carry each other
One
Have you come to meet Bruce Hammonds
Have you come to meet Leah McGee
Have you heard about Michelle Shepherd
She’s leading the team in the Northeast
And we’ve got Bank One on the run
What’s in your wallet? It’s not Capital One
It’s us, so which card are you?
Integration’s never had us feeling so good
And we’ll make lots of money, forever I can sing
About trusting in teamwork and doing the right thing
We’ll live out our core values
While the competition crawls
‘cause they want what we have got
But it’s only here at Bank of America
One bank
One card
One name that’s known all over the world
One heart, filled with spirit
We feel it, we share it
One bank working everyday
To bring higher standards
Higher standards
One
We are one, yeah
We are one
We are one bank

Bogdan Popescu
[email protected]