Regions Bank wanted to run an ad campaign in celebration of Black History Month.
However, we felt that Regions’ Black History Month observance could be much more
than just a campaign.
Instead of simply creating ads, o2 wanted to do something with real significance — something lasting and tangible enough to express Regions’ commitment to diversity, inclusion and financial education.
Most companies ran ad campaigns during Black History Month, but few of them encouraged interaction with the brand or left behind something positive to benefit the community.
The team at o2 recognized that to celebrate Black History Month in a creative and meaningful way, we needed to build a bridge, connecting influential figures in black history with current students who have the potential to change the future. The bridge we built was the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest, which invites high school and college students to submit essays about an African-American who has had an impact on their life, for the chance of winning a college scholarship.
$501,000 was awarded to 121 students since contest inception. In the final year of the scholarship, Regions saw a 154% increase in completed entries and a 207% increase in started entries. In total, 120 students received college financial aid with Regions’ (and o2’s) help.
