On Saturday I came across a full-page newspaper ad for Citi that featured, considering the circumstances, an unusual statement at the top: “Providing Stability. Securing the Future.” Clearly, someone in the marketing department is not paying attention.

Perhaps it’s not the marketing department’s fault. After all, Citigroup has been ignoring marketing fundamentals for years. Recently unveiled plans to save the company are based on the same inside-out logic that got it into trouble in the first place. Citi is segregating its most troubled business units into a division called Citi Holdings, while keeping its investment bank, credit card operations, regional bank and private bank together under the resurrected moniker Citicorp. The company’s problem has always been a schizophrenic lack of focus, and it’s hard to see how separating divisions based on performance (rather than market dynamics) will make that any better.

I know Citi is a financial services company, but somebody ought to let the marketers have a turn. Unfortunately, they seem to be relegated to a support role, creating ads like the one in Saturday’s paper. The irony is the company’s continued use of its tagline, “Citi never sleeps.” As Citi management continues to be buffeted by a collapsing business model, that’s probably more true than ever.