TD Bank stands out as a major banking player on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. In its home country of Canada, this Toronto-based institution is one of the Big Five banks, while it consistently ranks among the top ten banks in the U.S., depending on various metrics. Unlike many advertisers who test their new ideas in global markets before introducing them to the U.S., TD Bank benefits from having a significant non-U.S. market to experiment with.
Recently, TD Bank has rolled out two notable campaigns in Canada: the “Own It” campaign, which highlights the bank’s new Partial Shares investing product, and the “Visible Billboards” initiative, designed to elevate one of the company’s purpose-driven projects. Both campaigns reflect how banking and financial institutions are evolving to better meet the needs of younger and more diverse consumers.
As Global Chief Marketing Officer Tyrrell Schmidt notes, ‘The way we utilize our physical presence today is quite different from the past. We need to evolve and meet our customers and future customers where they are.'”
Breaking Barriers
Partial Shares exemplifies the shift in investing. As the first offering of its kind from one of the Big Five banks, this product allows consumers to purchase and trade fractions of stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This innovation provides access to blue-chip stocks at a more affordable price, targeting Gen Z and millennial investors who may be new to investing or believe it’s out of their reach.
To promote Partial Shares, TD Bank partnered with Ogilvy Canada on the “Own It” campaign. This engaging 60-second commercial features a quirky young investor who dives into the benefits of partial ownership in diverse ventures, including an airline, a baseball team, a space company, and an entertainment corporation. In one memorable scene, Partial Shares even takes the character to the set of a fantasy epic.
Tyrrell Schmidt emphasized, “The traditional concept of delivering the right product to the right customer at the right time through the right channel is still very relevant,” referring to the marketing strategy for Partial Shares.
He added, “We focus on the overall customer experience. Simple communication is key. Banking can be complex, and people want clarity in what they’re being told.” Schmidt praised the “Own It” campaign as a prime example of presenting information in a light, yet clear and digestible manner.
For Ogilvy, Partial Shares offered a chance to create distinctive advertising for a truly unique product, a rare opportunity in the Canadian banking sector. The agency developed a script featuring a fish-out-of-water character who, driven by excitement, pushes boundaries to overcome barriers. The approach is playful without being overly slapstick.
