The Pandemic hit small businesses hard; as the bank that’s more Main Streets’ than Wall Street’s, Wells Fargo has over 3 million Small Business customers.

Our brief was to build a feeling that Wells Fargo truly was there to support them - we set out to give our communities across the country the support they desperately needed, and we did so by providing our small business customers with actions that made a meaningful difference in their time of need. In addition to Small Business Owners we also looked to rally our employees and show existing (non-small business) customers just how much we cared about the neighborhoods they lived and worked in.

Hope, USA was born of a need to help small businesses. This integrated campaign - Hope, USA – set out to restore hope for those who need it the most, both physically and metaphorically.

Working with non-profits and small businesses in more than a dozen cities nationwide, Wells Fargo gave owners, workers and local communities a fresh burst of Hope to start the New Year.

On top of the financial commitments, the campaign was brought to life physically with events where Wells Fargo employees hit the streets to restore and rejuvenate downtown areas in need of help, and hope. We partnered with national TV programs to spread this feeling, and used our TV advertising and social media presence to remind communities to support their local businesses – so spreading hope to our customers, and their communities across the country.

With more than 3 million small business customers, Wells Fargo had a unique view into their crisis, and a vested interest in helping. But pep talks weren’t going to be enough, either for the small business owners, or for the brand that was looking for continued ways to prove it was on the side of its customers in order to drive favorability and trust. Business metrics weren’t the objective, the entirety of the effort was focused on moving these brand perceptions.

With the Hope, USA campaign we set out to deliver the sense of hope our communities across the country desperately needed, and we did so by providing our small business customers with actions that made a meaningful difference in their time of need. In addition to Small Business Owners we also looked to rally employees to show how much we cared about the neighborhoods they lived and worked in.

Working with non-profits and small businesses in more than a dozen cities nationwide, Wells Fargo gave owners, workers and local communities a fresh burst of Hope to start the New Year.

As part of this ongoing nationwide effort Wells Fargo is

Donating over $450 million to non-profits

Partnering with over 3 million businesses

Supporting small business owners maintain more than 250,000 jobs

Ensuring that 80% of funding reached Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, women, and other diverse, small business owners.

On top of financial commitments, the campaign was brought to life physically with Wells Fargo employees hitting the streets to restore and rejuvenate downtown areas in need of help, and hope. We partnered with national TV programs to spread this feeling, and used our TV advertising and social media presence to remind communities to support their local businesses – so spreading hope amongst customers, and their communities across the country.

$420 million in grants for small business recovery.

3 million+ Small Businesses helped get back to thriving.

1.7 million people kept at work.

Earned, shared and owned tactics drove 592M impressions

Sentiment from earned media was 100% positive

Hope sparked in communities across the country.