The Brief: Chase Bank is facing significant backlash on Twitter after posting a #MondayMotivation tweet about the struggles of financial insecurity.

DEEP DIVE
On Monday, Chase’s social media team tweeted the following in an apparent attempt to illustrate a relatable scenario and create a #MondayMotivation meme.
lol chase deleted the tweet. here’s a screenshot pic.twitter.com/9SGofNEfSQ— cale g weissman (@caleweissman) April 29, 2019
Immediately after Chase posted this tweet, people harshly criticized the bank for appearing to make fun of people facing financial difficulty. In particular, they went after Chase for seeming to blame people’s financial insecurity on things like going out to eat and taking cabs, rather than larger issues of economic hardship.
Critics were also quick to point out how Chase is a powerful institution who took a $12 billion dollar bailout during the 2008 recession. Many argued that Chase shouldn’t make jokes about struggling to pay the bills when they profit off of people’s debt.
extremely cool tweet here from a bank worth $400B that charges anywhere from $2.50 and $5 for individual ATM fees and $34 per overdraft—both of which are taxes on poor people https://t.co/u8AOlgxdqx
— cale g weissman (@caleweissman) April 29, 2019
Brands have been known to use Twitter as a platform to share memes, comedic posts, and flex how relatable they are. Sometimes such tweets are well-received while other times they are mocked and ridiculed.
Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren responded to Chase’s tweet with her own argumentative meme:
.@Chase: why aren’t customers saving money?
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 29, 2019
Taxpayers: we lost our jobs/homes/savings but gave you a $25b bailout
Workers: employers don’t pay living wages
Economists: rising costs + stagnant wages = 0 savings
Chase: guess we’ll never know
Everyone: seriously?
#MoneyMotivation pic.twitter.com/WcboMr5MCE
Hey, @Chase, why’d you delete this tweet where you tried to flex on poor people after taking a $12 billion dollar bailout? pic.twitter.com/dts1Q52CPs
— kelly (on a rehab assignment) (@kellyawallace) April 29, 2019
This Chase tweet isn’t quite Brand Tweet Hall of Fame, but it’s very, very good. For the record, these are the top two and they can never be dethroned. pic.twitter.com/8oqyAY02WM
— Slade (@Slade) April 29, 2019
A Baby Boomers vs. Millennials generation gap meme:
Chase bank a baby boomer? Bet. https://t.co/BagUNY7G5g
— buff cat (@toasted_coconut) April 29, 2019
Really enjoying my first day as Chase’s social media strategist. Time to check in on the response to the funny post I scheduled to go up an hour ago. But first, to take a large sip of piping hot coffee
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) April 29, 2019
A solid of a self-drag:
just withdrew my entire life savings from @Chase bank and closed the account to protest the bad tweet. What’s a good way to invest $14
— dan mentos (@DanMentos) April 29, 2019
chase bank making fun of people for overdrawing their accounts by buying a latte is truly rich pic.twitter.com/39qnV81Xke
— rachel syme (@rachsyme) April 29, 2019
The backlash to Chase’s tweet illustrates how corporations ‘ attempts to be relevant in the world of memes can backfire. Chase succeeded in creating a viral meme, but only at their own expense.