• by Fern Siegel , September 3, 2024

Fintech company Chime is disrupting the trillion-dollar banking category by making it easier to get paid.

Its latest innovation — MyPay — is a line of credit that allows members to be paid before payday, rather than waiting for the traditional two-week cycle. To give it greater visibility, Chime debuted its largest national brand campaign to date: “Unlocking America’s Pay.”

The campaign by AKQA kicked off with a 30-second national TV spot “Get Paid When You Say” that runs on broadcast, cable and streaming networks.

The company also launched a cross-country activation over Labor Day weekend: a traveling vault that symbolizes the $340 billion locked up in each pay cycle. Beginning in New York, the vault tours cities coast to coast, including Philadelphia, Houston and Phoenix, and ends in San Francisco, the company’s hometown. Consumers who spot the vault during its travels can scan the QR code on its side for a chance to win $500. The brand is giving away $500,000 in total.

In addition, there are Spotify audio ads and influencer partnerships with Twitch streamer Kai Cenat and TikToker Zach King. Social elements run on Meta, Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram. Prominent DOOH ads in Times Square, Penn Station and Lincoln Tunnel ask “Why do we work every day, but wait two weeks to get paid?” 

Vineet Mehra, CMO of Chime, said: “We are hyper-focused on building a new era of innovation and accessibility that serves the needs of everyday Americans disillusioned by the big banks. This new campaign celebrates how Chime is making banking services helpful, easy and free, highlighting a revolutionary new product.”

Chime also partnered with global branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie for a brand refresh.

Tesa Aragones, AKQA North American president, added that the partnership "challenges the outdated norms of traditional banking, while fostering a sense of community by empowering individuals with greater financial freedom."