I just received the "Coming Again in 2009 : A Holiday Gift for our Premier Clients" e-mail and am very appreciative that HSBC is doing things like this which certainly adds to the value of the Premier account.
I believe that airport lounges would certainly be a huge draw for HSBC customers compared to resources that are wasted on advertising. Was just in SYD and every airbridge was emblazoned with a huge HSBC logo, but when I looked for an HSBC ATM in the international terminal there were none to be found. I just got a "why do they bother" impression from the whole thing.
(x2 at LHR)