Bank of America Boston Marathon Sponsorship Strategy

Bank of America turned to our team when they became sponsor of the Boston Marathon. As a strategist, I knew that the stakes were high. Trust in banks was eroding. The collapse of SVB and scandals like FTX had shaken consumer confidence, and brand favorability was at its lowest point since 2020.

The Boston Marathon is famously tough—but the hardest way in is through charity. These runners commit to raising over $10,000, and if they fall short, they cover the rest themselves. Their motivation is deeply personal—and they needed help.

Helping people is at the heart of Bank of America's brand purpose: Achievement Made Possible. So we flipped our sponsorship. We donated ourselves, then used our platform to tell runners’ stories, expand their reach, and help them meet their fundraising goals.

The results: $71.9M raised for 164 charities—a 77% increase over the previous year. Donors credited the runners’ stories as the reason they gave. Brand favorability rose 8%, reaching its highest level ever.

By turning a sponsorship into something human and purpose-driven, we didn’t just show up. We helped people move forward—and proved that real impact drives real growth.