TD Bank’s CMO says, “There are no mulligans in marketing.”

Get To Know: TD Bank Executive Vice President and CMO Patrick McLean

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Before being named Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of TD Bank, Patrick McLean served as the company’s head of brand and product marketing.

Now as CMO, McLean oversees brand marketing, corporate and public affairs and integrated marketing efforts in the US. He leads TD’s corporate positioning, marketing and PR campaigns, social media efforts and field and retail marketing and directs the company’s internal communications and community relations efforts.

When asked about current campaigns, McLean says he’s excited about the “Rolling Renovation” tour, an initiative aimed at helping customers finance home renovation projects, offering ideas along the way.

“From Maine to Florida, the tour will stop at TD Bank stores, signature home events and local home improvement stores,” says McLean, “Customers and employees can meet with a neighborhood home lending expert, a local blogger, or even a DIY star to receive financing tips and renovation inspiration, enter a great giveaway and experience a memorable event.”

In addition to the “Rolling Renovation” tour, McLean says TD will be launching a new cash rewards credit card campaign this spring and is working on a new brand campaign.

Prior to TD Bank, McLean was VP of digital marketing and brand strategy for Capital One Financial. He has held senior-level roles at Verizon and Sympatico (Canada’s largest internet service provider).

With an office in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey — a short drive east of the TD headquarters in Cherry Hill — McLean resides in Haddonfield with his wife, Kelly, and son, Michael.

Get To Know:

Patrick McLean

CMO @ TD Bank

  • Age: 46
  • Company HQ: Cherry Hill, NJ
  • First Job: Amusement Park Ride Supervisor
  • Apple or Android? Apple
  • First Car: Subaru
  • Hobbies: Music, Theater, Golf, Running and Fitness

What mobile device can you not live without?

IPhone 5c. It’s basically an appendage. I will upgrade to the IPhone 7 within 48 hours of launch.

Which apps do you use most often for work?

I travel a lot, and use Uber and Google Maps to get around one way or another.

What social media network or website do you frequent most when you’re not working?

There are a few that I use quite a bit. Twitter is my go-to network. The real-time nature of the feed suits the way my mind works and my lifestyle.

I’m also a LinkedIn power user. It’s great to build your network and stay up-to-date on what everyone is up to. And Flipboard is a great way to aggregate and surf content when I have a bit more time.

What’s the first thing you check on your phone in the morning?

My personal email and texts.

Take me through your typical workday.

I work out or run most mornings, so I’m usually up by 5:30 a.m. I check email, news and social while I eat, and then hit my workout.

My meeting schedule starts at 8:00 or 8:30, so it’s usually a rush to get to the office. I’m typically in meetings all day, until 5:00 or 5:30 p.m.

If I’m not traveling, I try to head home for dinner with my family, and more often than not, I’m back on email at 8:00. Bedtime is usually between 10:00 and 11:00.

What has been the most exciting work development during the past year?

I was promoted to CMO and given the honor of leading this great TD brand and marketing team. Great people. Great brand. I’m a fortunate guy.

What does your desk look like?

I’m a total minimalist. I keep no physical files. I rarely take notes and hate printed material, so I keep a clean desk and work area. I have great photos of my family and some golf memorabilia to allow for the odd daydream. That’s it.

Patrick McLean desk

How many miles have you traveled in the last 12 months?

Too many to count. We have a team in Portland, Maine, so I have been there a few times already. It’s beautiful and has a great downtown with excellent restaurants and bars.

What work challenge keeps you up at night?

I’m mostly thinking about people and talent. Do we have the right talent on the team? Where do we need to invest? Is the team set up for success? Do I have the right relationships across the business?

Can you tell us about a campaign or work project you’d like to do over?

I don’t look back much. I learn from what I did and move on. There are no mulligans in marketing.

Tell me about the people who have been most influential in your career.

I have worked for some great marketing leaders, and each had a tremendous influence on my career and approach. I also try to keep a very strong industry network so I have a great cross section of people to draw inspiration from. A generic but true answer!

What traits does a person need to succeed in your position?

Patience, courage, desire, creativity and people skills.

Can you tell us something about yourself that your team would be surprised to know?

I’m a Dead head!

Why did you go into marketing?

Marketing exercises both sides of the brain, and I love that. We get to do creative work but also geek out on attribution models and other analytics acrobatics.

What other career would you like to try and why?

I’d like to be a Broadway musical and theater star. That’s my back-up plan if this marketing thing doesn’t work out. I love telling stories, and the creative process of a theatrical production is amazing.

And I love to sing, but don’t tell my team about that or our team events will involve karaoke!

What’s the last business book you read, and what did you think of it?

I actually just re-read Don Tapscott’s “Grown Up Digital,” a good read on Millennials. It’s a bit dated now (2008), but still good.

He is a friend of mine, so I’m going to try to inspire him to write a follow-up. Maybe he can call it “All Grown Up Digital.”

Outside of your company’s efforts, what ad campaign or video caught your eye recently?

I’m really enjoying the latest work from Geico. They have done a nice job of taking their disruptive, creative TV approach and moved it into digital without it only being an extension of the TV work.


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Amy Gesenhues
Contributor
Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land, Search Engine Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.

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