In spring 2020, as COVID-19 restrictions spread, graduates everywhere saw their graduation ceremonies canceled. They took the loss hard.

These students found a champion in Chase, which has long supported youth through its Advancing Black Pathways and Chase.com Student initiatives. Chase called on us to develop a viral social campaign and virtual event to lift spirits and restore communal joy. Black youth received particular focus, as COVID-19 decimated far more than graduations in their communities.

Our campaign goals were bold:

- Revive student excitement about graduation, centering their stories

- Engage influencers particularly admired by Black youth

- Provide students tools to co-create viral content, sharing pride in accomplishment

- Reach 80MM people through social celebrations

- Reach 700K live stream viewers

- Inspire 60K social shares

- Drive traffic to Chase.com Student web pages, filled with resources to strengthen graduates’ futures

- Earn press coverage and positive brand sentiment

To explore and amplify the heart of graduation, we fixed our creativity on the day’s most exciting moment: when graduates cross the commencement stage. Typically, students line up, their anticipation building. And then, for just a few moments, they shine in their spotlight—walking proudly to receive their certification as family members and classmates cheer.

Whatever else the day may bring, it’s that walk everyone remembers.

We decided to restore to every student their chance to “walk” by bringing that commencement stage online. We created #ShowMeYourWalk, the first-ever live virtual commencement celebration—fueled by a viral social media challenge and kicked off by highly admired celebrities.

This creative idea reimagined and distilled an entire celebration to its essence. It engaged students where they could gather even during the pandemic: online. And it inspired and empowered them to rise above and celebrate where they could still truly connect—on social.

Chase set out to celebrate graduates across age levels and demographics. Various Chase teams/initiatives engage this wide spectrum.

We partnered with two groups: Chase.com Student teams, who support young people with timely financial products, and Advancing Black Pathways, a Chase program that helps Black communities achieve success and empowerment. For Black people, COVID-19 had been particularly devastating. Black students, especially, deserved their moment of joy and hope.

We believed our target demographics were turning to social to stay connected during COVID-19. And our research confirmed their favorite new platforms and activities. We’d provide tools for students to reclaim and share their graduation walks on TikTok (then the rising star) and other channels. And we’d produce star-studded, first-ever online commencement events.

The results were two distinct waves of engagement designed to resonate with specific communities: the national #ShowMeYourWalk campaign and #ShowMeYourWalk HBCU Edition, a stirring recognition and celebration of Black resilience.

#ShowMeYourWalk launched during the final week of April 2020, with Kevin Hart, Serena Williams and Stephen Curry issuing viral challenges across social media. Posting primarily from their homes—just like students would—each strutted to a custom remix of “Pomp and Circumstance” intercut with Migos’ “Walk It Like I Talk It.” They challenged students to “Show me your walk!” during the upcoming live streams, building anticipation.

On May 2, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and other high-profile talent hosted the first-ever live virtual commencement celebration to salute graduates and convey: Chase is here for you. Motivational programming encouraged graduates to keep investing in themselves as #ShowMeYourWalk videos flooded social.

The HBCU Edition virtual commencement followed on May 16. President Barack Obama, alongside 41 athletes, entertainers, academics and politicians (many HBCU graduates themselves), recognized Black excellence. Performances included an exhilarating music-fueled tribute from famed Black Greek letter organization, the Divine Nine.

Chase reached 95.5MM people across paid/owned/earned channels, achieving 2x the efficiency and ROI of a Super Bowl ad on a cost-per-reach basis.

#ShowMeYourWalk became TikTok’s top-trending hashtag, with user-generated content earning 2.9B views. At last count, social shares across platforms topped 697K. The goal was 60K.

#ShowMeYourWalk attracted 2.1MM concurrent live stream views and was named one of the 10 Best Twitter Campaigns of 2020 (though ceremonies were not solely streamed/hosted on Twitter).

#ShowMeYourWalk HBCU Edition connected over 30,000 Black and diverse students from 78 universities. It also drove over 90% positive sentiment on social, dramatically shifting conversations about Chase to enthusiasm for this activity. Within the context of larger diversity goals, Chase’s support for students became its #1 most-discussed topic of 2020.

The campaign increased engagement with Chase.com Student web pages by over 4,400%.

#ShowMeYourWalk earned over 100 media/news stories, including in The New York Times and Washington Post.