A Very Chesapeake Sequel

In 2024, we made “The Chesapeake Way” – a campaign about a little bank from the Chesapeake, and how they do things different. The results paid off, with an over 20% increase in search volume and website users, plus a 12.9% earnings increase YOY in 2024.

But when it came time to create the sequel campaign, one major detail stuck out: 2025 marked Chesapeake Bank’s 125th birthday, and they wanted to go big. Not just with a full suite of ads, but an internal morale-booster. A video they could show during employee orientations that captures the spirit of Chesapeake Bank. And to top it all off, an epic activation that would increase awareness of Chesapeake Bank in the Richmond market.

Orientation, Re-oriented

For the hero spot, we stuck with the previous year’s strategy of using real Chesapeake Bank employees in place of actors. The new video would see a crew of new bank hires going around the regions they serve, interacting with businesses and customers in classic Chesapeake fashion. But we couldn’t just use any old vehicle. It had to represent the bank’s personality and Chesapeake Bay roots…something different.

Enter the Duck Boat

Once the idea of a duck boat was brought up, there was no going back. The quirkiness, the amphibiousness, the fact that it’s used for tours…it was duck boat or bust. And with the help of our wonderful production partners Bad Rainbow, we were somehow able to acquire one. Directed by Nick Spooner, “All Onboard” shows us what Chesapeake Bank is all about while going everywhere but the bank itself.

On web, social and CTV, cutdowns delivered that same Chesapeake journey in bite-sized formats.

Print and digital leaned more heavily into the 125 messaging, showcasing a mix of employee quirks, historical anecdotes, and regular bank stuff said in a way most banks wouldn’t.

Giving Richmond a Taste of the Chesapeake

Finally, the time had come to create an activation to raise Richmond’s awareness of Chesapeake Bank. Partnering with our beloved local minor league baseball team the Flying Squirrels, the activation was to take place at one of their games. We needed something big to get Richmond talking, but how exactly does a humble bank known for its realness do “big”? Our answer was simple – take something authentic to them, and make the biggest-in-the-world of it.

Credit: Sam Huggins

The World’s Largest Crabcake

Prepared by local legend Dave Whitby of Shoreline Seafood Market, and styled by our friend Elliott Shaffner of Fred + Elliott Photography, the world’s largest crab cake was no piece of cake. For one, it had to beat the previous record, which meant netting out at over three feet in diameter, nearly ten inches in height, and over 300 pounds of pure Chesapeake goodness. Working closely with the Squirrels, we choreographed the when, where, and how of the crabcake reveal. The result was coverage by news outlets across the country and an over 1200% increase in media mentions versus their average.

Phew – that’s a lot of Chesapeake! Tune back in for results as they come. Hopefully after we wake from our crabcake-induced hibernation.