Video: TD Bank jumps on the “It Gets Better” train—as a business decision

TD Bank has made a video for Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better Project” in support of LGBT youth, and they’re the first of Canada’s big banks to do so (a mere 20 months after the project launched). In TD’s contribution, LGBT employees describe the horrific bullying they endured in high school and introduce the friends and family members who helped them through. At the end, CEO Ed Clark appeals to viewers to “make it better” for gay men and women who find themselves in hostile social environments. While it’s great to hear one of Canada’s biggest financial powerhouses speaking up for LGBT rights, even TD has admitted the decision to make the video was not solely a moral one: spokesperson Scott Mullin told the Globe and Mail, “We see it not just as a nice thing to do, but a critical thing to do for us as a company positioning ourselves for the future,” adding that TD hopes to be the bank of choice for an increasingly diverse population. With comments like “Best bank in the world hands down!!!”and “Wow! I’m changing banks,” pouring in from the YouTube community, the marketing strategy already appears to be working.