THE CLIENT

Apollo Bank rose to become one of South Florida’s fastest-growing banks, with an asset base that nearly tripled in size since its launch. With Miami now positioned among the nation’s largest and most competitive banking markets, Apollo Bank stands out for its steady performance, organic growth, and independence amidst a sea of consolidation.

THE CHALLENGE

Starting a business – let alone a bank – during the depths of a recession is no small feat. Building a credible brand and nurturing customer loyalty amidst a wave of mistrust toward banks seemed unimaginable, but that’s exactly what we set out to do when we embarked in an integrated communicated campaign on behalf of Apollo Bank when it was launched in 2010.

THE SOLUTION

We had a hunch early on that winning business and establishing the Apollo Bank brand would mean differentiating our client as a locally-owned and operated bank built with the express goal of serving local companies – a far cry from the big banks that were under assault during the financial crisis.

Since then, we reinforced Apollo Bank’s positioning as a trusted, growth-oriented community bank through an integrated media relations campaign that communicated the bank’s story locally and nationally, while positioning its executives as credible thought leaders on topics related to business, banking and broader economic trends.

We amplified our reach through social media channels, special events and community outreach, and direct-to-client marketing tactics that ensured our campaign messages were reaching our most important audiences consistently.

In 2022, Apollo Bank was acquired by Seacoast Bank in one of the most significant bank acquisitions of the year.

THE RESULTS

  • Apollo Bank grew to become one of South Florida’s fastest-growing banks, with an asset base that grew from $170 million to more than $1 billion since established in 2010​.
  • Over the 10-year period of our integrated communications campaign, SMS generated more than 550 pieces of earned editorial coverage on behalf of the bank and its executive team.
  • The bank’s leaders were routinely featured in regional and national news publications and broadcast outlets speaking to the state of the South Florida banking landscape, business and the local economy.
  • Social media engagement grew year-over-year, with an emphasis on hyper-local content and strengthening the company’s culture.
  • Apollo Bank has repeatedly been named one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ in Florida, South Florida and nationally
  • The bank was successfully acquired by Seacoast Bank in October 2022 and our campaign concluded.