TD’s annual “Thank You” campaign returns this year with an activation in Toronto, thanking customers for including the bank in their life milestones, from first homes and new businesses to retirement and college graduations.
The brand has installed an interactive heart-shaped light at Union Station’s Bay St. promenade, where customers can see their name light up when they tap their TD debit or credit card.
The activation, available until October 31, expands beyond Union Station with a video series showcasing real TD customers who’ve celebrated life milestones.
The multimedia effort includes targeted ads on Netflix and on YouTube Peak Points – a Gemini-powered product that identifies key moments of audience engagement in YouTube content for brands to place ads – plus social media and influencer partnerships.
OOH ads will also be displayed throughout Union Station, while the message is further amplified across bank branches and on TD’s website and mobile app.
Edelman led earned media tactics and sponsored content, while Diamond Marketing Group handled overall strategy, creative development and production in collaboration with The Pub. TD’s media agency, Unison, led media strategy and execution, which featured a “significant” digital, social and OOH buy, according to the brand.
“With #TDThanksYou, the goal is to create moments of genuine appreciation that resonate across every channel including digital, social and in-person,” Michael Armstrong, VP of brand and sponsorships for North America at TD, tells Media in Canada. “Balancing online investment with offline tactics like digital OOH helps increase overall reach and ad recall.”
Unlike previous years, Armstrong says this year’s activation is personalized and technology-driven, using interactive light tech to illuminate customers’ names. He notes that the installation aligns with TD’s brand positioning, which emphasizes the importance of people, and reflects the evolution of the company, which has been seeking new ways to modernize the campaign.
Last year, as part of the “Thank You” initiative, TD launched a drone show at HTO Park after the Toronto Blue Jays game on July 2. The show culminated with a giant QR code floating in the sky that directed visitors to a microsite with additional information about the activation. The drone event was also performed in Halifax, Vancouver and Calgary in the following weeks.
“Since its launch in 2014, the campaign has taken on many forms, from personalized gifts to dazzling drone shows, but one thing has never changed: #TDThanksYou is rooted in gratitude,” Armstrong says. “It is a campaign that allows us to loudly and proudly thank our existing clients while also driving awareness amongst all Canadians.”
