Beginning in 2021, Equity Bank launched its Bank on Reading social media initiative in effort to bring awareness to and strengthen and increase reading habits in our local communities. Beginning in June 2021, Equity Bank introduced its inaugural summer reading program. Employees, customers, and community members of all ages were challenged to read just 15 minutes each day throughout the months of June and July 2021.
In support of reading efforts, Equity Bank employees recorded and shared videos of themselves reading children’s books for the company’s Facebook and Instagram feeds. The company posted 16 employee videos from June through the end of September. The virtual readings received 13,427 views, 423 reactions and secured over 300 new social followers. Additional videos were posted for the start of the school year, Christmas, and winter-break, and in celebration of Read Across America Week. Instagram Stories were used for the sharing of reading statistics and habit building ideas. A book focused social campaign was ran on Equity Bank’s Instagram feed to drive engagement. Using the hashtag, #bookstackchallenge, Equity Bank challenged followers to post images using the hashtag of themed book-centered photos.
Running mid-August through September 2021, Equity Bank promoted it’s first Bank on Reading sales campaign for the acquisition of new deposit accounts and digital service adoption. For each new household checking account opened from August through September, Equity Bank would donate $25 to a local school or literacy organization for the purchase of new books and reading resources. With the help of their local communities, Equity Bank raised over $15,500 for the purchase of new books in six weeks. Equity Bank promoted the sales campaign through use of social media contests, advertisements, and engagement posts in tandem with traditional and digital marketing initiatives.
Equity Bank first introduced its Bank on Reading initiative through the adoption and sponsorships of local classrooms. Equity Bank teams partnered with local classrooms to provide the funding for the purchase of new books for the students. Equity Bank’s promise was to provide each student of the classroom with one free book each month of the school year. In 2021, the program continued, and 21 classroom sponsorships were secured and supported by local Equity Bank teams. Equity Bank shared the testimonials, appreciation, and excitement of the partnerships on social media. On average, Equity Bank provides 250 books to each classroom it sponsors.
During the sales promotion in fall 2021, Equity Bank of Wichita partnered with Storytime Village, a Kansas based children’s literacy non-profit organization. Storytime Village supports underserved children throughout the state of Kansas by providing them with free books and reading resources. In addition to the $1,500 raised through the sales promotion; Equity Bank and Storytime Village hosted a Scholastic Book Fair at Gordon Parks Academy in Wichita, KS. Equity Bank provided the funding for each of the over 400 students to purchase $10 worth of new books at the fair. The $10 voucher provided by Equity Bank helped the students to afford an average of 2-3 new books. As a part of the fair, Equity Bank and Storytime Village partnered to host a Family Literacy Night. Families were invited to Gordon Parks Academy for a night of financial literacy lessons, reading and literacy engagement, and to shop at the Book Fair. Equity Bank employees helped with purchases and transactions of the cash register, hosted financial literacy lessons for students and parents, and helped serve dinner to those in attendance.
