The Fiserv name is front and center at this week’s Republican National Convention, which takes place in a building affixed with the company’s name. That's an opportunity, as well as a potential risk, for a brand that may be well known among payments executives, but isn't a household name.

Conservative American politicians have begun delivering their political speeches from Fiserv’s hometown inside the “Fiserv Forum” arena, emblazoned with the company’s name in large white letters over its glass facade. The firm’s name will be showcased again and again during coverage of the convention.

That’s a lot of publicity for any brand in front of a very large TV and social media audience. In 2020, the RNC and the Democratic National Convention drew 23.8 and 24.6 million viewers, respectively, according to the New York City-based data and analytics firm Nielsen.

Fiserv will increase awareness of its brand, with viewers that include the merchants and government officials it counts among its clients. But the firm is also attaching its name to a presidential candidate with low approval ratings who has alienated broad swaths of the American public, marketing professionals say.

“Business leaders and government officials are more likely to be watching the RNC because their roles often require them to stay informed about political developments that could impact their sectors,” said Tom Jauncey, CEO of the London-based Nautilus Marketing, which has clients in the U.S. “Therefore, Fiserv's strategy to engage with this audience at the RNC is aligned with their business objectives, despite the associated risks.”

But Jauncey says the company faces a tricky balancing act. It has the opportunity to introduce itself on a national stage, but needs to distance itself from any controversial ideas.

In a statement emailed to Payments Dive, a Fiserv spokesperson stressed that Fiserv Forum, the home of the Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball team, would also have served as the site of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, had the political gathering not been held virtually due to the COVID pandemic.

The company has made donations across the political spectrum, the spokesperson said.

“Fiserv has a commitment to corporate non-partisanship, and in 2024 has made equal financial contributions to both the [Milwaukee] 2024 Host Committee and the Chicago DNC 2024 Host Committee, each of which is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization,” the spokesperson said in an email.

Fiserv bought the naming rights to the downtown Milwaukee arena in 2018, but did not say how much the 25-year deal was worth. Under the terms, the Fiserv name was required to be featured prominently on the building's exterior, the arena's hardwood floor and on the roof, according to a company press release in July of that year.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is beloved by his core supporters but viewed unfavorably by about 54% of the American public, according to a polling average from the blog FiveThirtyEight. 

Despite rousing cheers inside the Fiserv Forum in response to Republican speeches, thousands of people protested on the streets surrounding Fiserv Forum on the convention’s opening day on Monday.

Trump is scheduled to give his acceptance speech from the Fiserv Forum on Thursday.

“It's a double-edged sword; associating with a polarizing political event might alienate a segment of the consumer base who oppose the views presented there,” said Grayce McCormick, founder of Lightfinder PR, which has offices in Milwaukee and Los Angeles.

A presidential campaign is a fraught time for marketers to be sure. In a survey of business-to-consumer company marketing executives conducted late last year, the market research firm Forrester found that 82% are concerned about marketing their brand during a presidential campaign.

As a firm that provides services to merchants, not the general public, Fiserv is a bit different, but McCormick said it still risks its reputation.

The company must maintain neutrality throughout the event, she said.

“A key strategy is to establish and communicate the venue's commitment to being a neutral, inclusive space for all events, regardless of political affiliation,” McCormick said. “This emphasis can help to reassure stakeholders of the venue's impartiality and maintain a positive public image.”

By Patrick Cooley on July 17, 2024
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