Chime: The Million Dollar Bet

    THE ASK AT A GLANCE

    March 2024 – How we saved the spirit of generosity: Chime needed a social activation they could use to spread understanding of their new brand purpose.

    CHIME’S PURPOSE
    Unite Everyday People to Unlock Their Financial Progress.

    Results 

    Over 115 million views and 375 million total impressions (and counting), surpassing all over Chime activations to date, and most importantly, ten lives were changed forever.

     

    CREATIVE BRIEF

    CULTURAL TRUTH
    Generosity is on the decline.

    After two record-setting years (2020-2021) for charitable giving, last year (2022) it declined by 10% and is on track to continue declining in 2023. Total charitable giving has fallen only three other times in the last 40 years: in 1987 and back-to-back in 2008 and 2009.

    Our Challenge: Can we save the spirit of generosity?

    How has generosity shown up in Culture?
    Pay-it-Forward Drive Thru Chains: In 2022, they were all about love and sharing what we have to give in hard times.

    In 2023, they were, at best, a joke (“I think you should leave with Tim Robinson,” Netflix), at worst, a scam to be caught in (Customer scared over $60 order), and those who break these chains are celebrated anti-heroes.

    Even the cashiers plead with people not to start them.

    INSIGHT

    I want to be generous, but I fear being taken advantage of in the process.
    People have less, so they’re concerned about themselves, and that’s understandable. They give when they believe they can control the outcome.

    (The anti-hero who broke the Starbucks chain still tipped the cashier generously).

    WAY IN

    We still believe that Human Nature is more generous than you think.
    Can we save the spirit of generosity, not just by giving away money? Can we go further to inspire ‘community generosity’  to unlock progress?

     

    ACTIVATION CONCEPT

    The Million Dollar Bet
    Chime will empower everyday people to experience how progress feels like through a unique experiment.

    The Bet: Will everyone choose to be generous and pass progress forward? Or will one person say no?

    (The secret: $1 million for the group is on the line.)

    Roughly 65% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. But Chime believes that won’t stop them from helping others.