"This morning, nearly 6,000 talented, energetic people came to work; mindful of the importance of their jobs, grateful for the support of their communities and more determined than ever to put you - first."
This is the voiceover in a television commercial Allfirst has begun running in Maryland as part of a month-long campaign designed to reinforce confidence in the bank after the currency trading scandal which cost it $691.2 million (€778 million).
The bank declined to say how much it is spending on the two, 30-second spots and on a sweepstake with prizes including a week-long holiday in Ocean City.
The advertisement campaign follows market research which showed a drop in satisfaction scores among customers in the wake of the scandal.
The advertisements are designed to show that Allfirst is made up of dedicated people who have worked at the bank "before, during and after the crisis", Mr Neel Johnson, executive vice-president of marketing at Allfirst, told the Baltimore Sun. "Sometimes you tend to think of the bank as being senior management. The real essence of the bank is the employees."
There has been considerable speculation that Allfirst might be sold by its parent bank, AIB, in the coming months, something which would require a speedy rebuilding of confidence in the Baltimore-based bank.
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