Merged Bank Uses Guerilla Tactics to Launch New Brand
Posted By Editor On December 9, 2008 @ 4:21 am In Advertising,Branding,Guerilla & Non-Traditional | 3 Comments
“What we tried to do is replicate the surprise and delight tactics that happen within each TD Bank store.”
– Greg Siano,
EVP/Tierney Communications
After a few naming hiccups [1] earlier in the marriage, TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank have just christened their first major branding campaign under the name TD Bank. [2]
The campaign is built around Commerce Bank’s slogan, “America’s Most Convenient Bank,” something it had been using for years. TD Banknorth decided to retain the Commerce slogan post-merger.
[3]A launch promo, running through this month, expresses the “convenience” theme by providing over a million free services to those ranging from Connecticut to Florida.
Some will win a personal chef, chauffeur or house cleaner in the “At Your Convenience” sweepstakes. In guerrilla “Random Acts of Convenience,” thousands of people will be handed a free cup of coffee or an umbrella on a rainy day, while mall shoppers, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, will receive free gift wrapping, gift consulting, and premium shopping bags.
The “Random Acts of Convenience” guerrilla launch includes:
- Street or mall “Convenience Crews” will give away 20,000 umbrellas on rainy days in NYC and Philadelphia
- 25,000 cups of coffee in NYC and Philadelphia
- 150,000 premium shopping bags at 22 malls
- Free gift wrapping for all at 22 malls (11/28-12/24)
- Free gift consulting for all at 22 malls (11/28-12/24)
TD Bank will also be partnering with over a thousand pizza parlors and dry cleaners to offer “Convenience Surprises,” pies and laundry to your door — at no charge.
“We tried to explore things that were convenient,” a representative with TD Bank’s ad agency said. “We’re doing anything that makes people’s lives more convenient.”
Brand ads in newspaper and outdoor will concurrently emphasize TD conveniences like seven-day banking, extended hours, free coin counting, free lollipops and doggie treats. TD has ads dominating New York’s Grand Central Station and Philadelphia’s 30th St. Station.
Advertising media includes:
- 8,400 spots featuring Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa
- 3,900 spots promoting the “At Your Convenience” sweepstakes
- 1,500 outdoor units, including highway, urban, phone kiosk, and bus shelters
- 220 full-page or page-dominant newspaper insertions
“Regis & Kelly” [4]
Initial brand advertising TV and radio features a nervous Regis Philbin struggling to cope with change, and an unperturbed Kelly Ripa. The bank is running 8,400 TV and 9.000 radio :60s of the “Regis & Kelly” spots.
The campaign is the first for TD Bank produced by Tierney Communications [5] out of Philadelphia.
Tierney Communications started as Commerce Bank’s agency when it had just 55 locations, twelve years ago. At the time of the merger there were 575. Tierney Communications, Philadelphia, part of the global Interpublic network, is a full-service advertising and public relations agency.
The brand campaign will be ongoing.
[6]
[7] 
[8]
“Convenience Surprise” Retail Partnerships
400 parlors will give away 20,000 pizzas in special gift boxes. Free dry cleaning and delivery will come from 620 dry cleaners.
“At Your Convenience” Sweepstakes
Prizes you can win for a full week: personal chef, personal limo, groceries (including delivery), dry cleaning (including delivery), and house cleaning.
[9]
Online “TD Bank Theater” [10]
A JibJab-style interpretation of the “Regis & Kelly” spot.
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Article printed from The Financial Brand: Marketing Insights for Banks & Credit Unions: http://thefinancialbrand.com
URL to article: http://thefinancialbrand.com/3672/td-bank-brand-campaign/
URLs in this post:
[1] naming hiccups: http://thefinancialbrand.com/2008/06/12/update-on-td-commerce-name-dispute/
[2] TD Bank.: http://www.tdbank.com/
[3] Image: http://thefinancialbrand.com/subscribe/
[4] “Regis & Kelly”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZf-Hau4CPk
[5] Tierney Communications: http://thefinancialbrand.comwww.tierneyagency.com/
[6] Image: http://thefinancialbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/td-espresso-cart.jpg
[7] Image: http://thefinancialbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/td-hotdog-stand.jpg
[8] Image: http://thefinancialbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/td-pizza-box.jpg
[9] Image: http://www.tdbanktheater.com/
[10] Online “TD Bank Theater”: http://www.tdbanktheater.com
[11] : http://sol4.gsp.sk1.yahoo.com/tdbankgiftfinder/
Click here to print.
3 Comments To "Merged Bank Uses Guerilla Tactics to Launch New Brand"
#1 Comment By Tim McAlpine On December 9, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
Wow. What a huge campaign with some very clever elements. Any idea on the budget?
#2 Comment By Stephanie On December 10, 2008 @ 11:59 am
I’m curious, what is “gift consulting”?
“Hey, your wife needs a ….!” or “No sir, you probably can’t afford that new…”
#3 Comment By Jeffry Pilcher On December 10, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
Good question. Here’s at least a partial answer:
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