The press joined the effort by interviewing business owners, giving them more media exposure. With the campaign “My Bank, My Space” the bank invested over $1.5 million in its consumers. Banking tools should give consumers space to be more productive, but Popular went further by literally giving its customers ad space to move forward. 140 TV spots, 140 radio spots, and 50 print ads were produced in a week. They ran in main media outlets. The campaign took over the bank’s media plan. Best of all, the customers reported an increase in sales and interest in their products and services.

In 2014, Popular took its entire advertising and media budget and invested it in Puerto Rico’s small business. Entrepreneurs that otherwise have no access to mass media, promoted their products and services on an unprecedented scale. The bank built a fully-fledged production studio at the largest shopping center in the Caribbean, and invited consumers to record ads for TV, Radio, Print, Digital, and Point of Purchase. This effort made possible for a clown to have a 30s TV commercial on prime time, for an acrobat to showcase his talents on a full-page ad, and for a local band to advertise in a 30s radio spot. The campaign gave hope to the country and showed how much talent and ideas there are to be sponsored. Banco Popular knows that to be successful it has to invest in the people.

In 2011, Puerto Rico entered a seventh consecutive year of recession, but in 2014, Puerto Rico’s credit rating was downgraded to junk status. For Popular, it was time to turn their message into action. The bank wanted to give Puerto Ricans space, literally, in media, and it created the “My Bank, My Space” campaign to help the country. In a time where most banks are known for being into their own interests, Popular showed that its real interest is helping people.