Who: TD, with Ogilvy Canada for strategy and lead creative, along with TD’s internal agency A361 and Diamond for influencer; Scouts Honour for production (Mark Zibert directing); Nimiopere, Alter Ego for post-production; Tantrum VFX for effects; Vapor and La Majeure for audio.
What: “Mortgage Rollercoaster,” a campaign promoting the bank’s flexible mortgage options that provides a quite literal interpretation of the ups and downs of having a mortgage in today’s economic climate. The central premise of the advertising is that a homeowner’s mortgage needn’t feel like a wild ride.
When & Where: The campaign launched on April 10, and runs through July 9 across TV (one :30 and two :15s), complemented by out-of-home, digital, and influencer marketing.
Why: Rising interest rates, coupled with a housing market in a near-constant state of flux, and chatter about a possible recession, have left Canadian homebuyers feeling uncertain. While a mortgage has always been a big life decision, it can feel even more daunting in an unpredictable market.
Catherine Allen, group creative director at Ogilvy, said TD wanted to communicate to customers that it offered flexibility on payments at a time clients are increasingly nervous about locking into long-term mortgages.
“We’re living in this world where everyone entering the housing market has this increased level of apprehension and stress,” she said. “You don’t know if you’re going to be able to afford the mortgage you[could] last year next year with the fluctuations that have been going on. It kind of feels like you’re on this mortgage roller-coaster. ”
How: The campaign’s centrepiece is a 30-second spot showing a woman sitting with friends in a restaurant when she receives a news alert on her phone informing her that mortgage rates are on the move. Suddenly, her chair rises off the floor, accompanied by the sound of a rollercoaster beginning its ascent.
The woman then experiences the sensation of being on a rollercoaster, powerless to do anything as she’s flung around, before being safely deposited in TD’s familiar green chair and greeted by a smiling mortgage specialist. “Your mortgage shouldn’t feel like a wild ride,” says the super, while a voiceover explains how TD’s flexible mortgage will help customers speed up or slow down payments.
“We wanted to show consumers that TD understands what they’re going through, and offer a solution,” said Allen. “You can have some confidence that you can weather the storm because there’s some flexibility in what TD is offering.”
Ogilvy presented several concepts to TD, but this was a clear favourite when it came to conveying the message, said Allen. “Mortgages can be dry subject matter, and we wanted to put something out there that, creatively and visually, was just going to stop people and make them pay attention,” she said. “You certainly don’t expect to see a mortgage spot where people are flying through the air.”
In addition to the work from Ogilvy, TD is also running a series of spots developed by Diamond featuring interior designers and TV personalities Colin and Justin—identified as design experts, hoteliers and cat dads—in which they speak about its flexible mortgage options (see all of the spots below).
And we quote: “At TD, we’re focused on helping customers take control of what may feel like an overwhelming experience and supporting them through a range of flexible mortgage options and personalized advice from our dedicated mortgage specialists.” — Ashley Martin, AVP Marketing, TD Real Estate Secured Lending
