Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
When you think of banking, chances are your mind doesn’t immediately scream "amazing brands!" Of course, there are major banks with strong brands, but certainly not in the same way we think about those in categories like fashion, beauty, or sports.
And, look, there’s a very good reason for that. Banks mean money, and money is a very serious issue for many, many people. Which means treating a banking brand like Doritos or Budweiser maaaay not be the best vibe to convey.
That said, let’s talk about Chime. The fintech digital bank has invested heavily in culture to build its brand—through partnerships with athletes like Cooper Flagg, Deion Sanders, and Jaxson Dart, episodic social content series like “Mama I Made It” and “Ballin’ on a Budget,” a jersey partnership with the Portland Fire, a league-wide Major League Soccer deal, and more. Last September, it even launched its own in-house branded entertainment arm called In The Green Studios.
CMO Vineet Mehra has said that Chime aims to be in the same cultural zeitgeist as brands like Sephora or Liquid Death. On this episode of Brand New World, I spoke to Mehra about the brand’s cultural ambitions, the impact this strategy has had on its business, and more.
This episode also features an interview with Accenture Song chairman and former CEO David Droga, as part of Fast Company’s “Creativity at Work” series in collaboration with Accenture Song.
Fast Company is the world's leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design.
Follow us on:
facebook.com/FastCompany
twitter.com/FastCompany
instagram.com/fastcompany
linkedin.com/company/fast-company
When you think of banking, chances are your mind doesn’t immediately scream "amazing brands!" Of course, there are major banks with strong brands, but certainly not in the same way we think about those in categories like fashion, beauty, or sports.
And, look, there’s a very good reason for that. Banks mean money, and money is a very serious issue for many, many people. Which means treating a banking brand like Doritos or Budweiser maaaay not be the best vibe to convey.
That said, let’s talk about Chime. The fintech digital bank has invested heavily in culture to build its brand—through partnerships with athletes like Cooper Flagg, Deion Sanders, and Jaxson Dart, episodic social content series like “Mama I Made It” and “Ballin’ on a Budget,” a jersey partnership with the Portland Fire, a league-wide Major League Soccer deal, and more. Last September, it even launched its own in-house branded entertainment arm called In The Green Studios.
CMO Vineet Mehra has said that Chime aims to be in the same cultural zeitgeist as brands like Sephora or Liquid Death. On this episode of Brand New World, I spoke to Mehra about the brand’s cultural ambitions, the impact this strategy has had on its business, and more.
This episode also features an interview with Accenture Song chairman and former CEO David Droga, as part of Fast Company’s “Creativity at Work” series in collaboration with Accenture Song.
Fast Company is the world's leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design.
Follow us on:
facebook.com/FastCompany
twitter.com/FastCompany
instagram.com/fastcompany
linkedin.com/company/fast-company
