Just six months into his role as art director at Leo Burnett Toronto, Jordan Gladman pulled off the impossible: he got people talking (and tearing up) about a bank.
Gladman was the creative mind behind TD Canada Trust’s “Automated Thanking Machine,” which was part of the bank’s #TDThanksYou campaign. Pre-selected customers at four branches were given personal gifts from the “talking” ATMs including a ticket to Trinidad so an elderly mom could visit her cancer-stricken daughter, and the chance for a Blue Jays fan to throw the opening pitch at a game.
The customers’ reactions were filmed and made into a heartstring-pulling video, which was released in July 2014 and became a runaway hit. In just under a week, it received one million views on YouTube and created significant buzz in the press. The video eventually amassed more than 22 million views, making it the most-watched YouTube ad in Canada for 2014.
“Everyone seemed to love how simple the idea was: just taking this very simple behaviour of going to the ATM and spinning it in a way that brings joy to people,” says Gladman. “It turned out to be such an emotional thing and it got people talking about a bank, which is a success in itself.”
Gladman, 25, is responsible for conceptualizing and executing creative work across a range of big-name clients including Kellogg’s, Coors Light, P&G, IKEA, Kraft and Bell.
Collaborating with his writing partner Mike Johnson, Gladman says his role involves equal parts creative thinking and design. “Some [assignments] are as specific as, ‘you need to make four commercials for Bell,’” says Gladman. Other times, it’s about finding creative solutions to clients’ problems—something Gladman excels at.
While “Automated Thanking Machines” is Gladman’s biggest career accomplishment so far, he’s also proud of the work he’s done for Coors Light. In 2014, the beer brand launched a campaign that awarded fantasy football players what they really want: ultimate bragging rights.
Every week, players competed at CoorsLightFootball.ca. Instead of prizes like money or game tickets, winners were awarded things like their own billboard, a personalized banner pulled by a chopper, and an ice sculpture made in their likeness.
“It was just so non-traditional and so different,” says Gladman. “We had this insight that guys who play fantasy football really want bragging rights… So we found all these unique ways to do it.”
Anthony Chelvanathan, group creative director at Leo Burnett Toronto, praises Gladman for having both the craftsmanship and the big ideas. “Everybody should be focusing on ideation and I like the fact that Jordan does it naturally,” he says. “He’s done a lot of great work for the agency already and has contributed a lot for such a short career.”
On top of his work for Leo Burnett, Gladman is making a name for himself in creative competitions. This year, he won a silver award in the Globe and Mail Young Lions competition and gold in the National Advertising Challenge (NAC), earning him a trip to the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.
Gladman, who studied creative advertising at Humber College, regularly meets with students who are seeking guidance on breaking into advertising. He spoke at Humber College’s Ad Week and also reviews student work at the school’s annual portfolio night. His best advice to students? “You need to create your own opportunities… Be more proactive and find the problems [and solutions] that your agency or clients aren’t even asking for.”
