Ashley Martin brings a rare combination of consumer brand expertise and financial services innovation to her role as AVP of Marketing – Credit Cards Engagement and Loyalty at TD Bank. In her position, she leads a team focused on helping customers maximize the value of their credit card and loyalty programs, partnering with major brands such as Starbucks, Amazon, Uber, and Expedia to deliver meaningful experiences.
Before joining TD Bank, Martin honed her marketing expertise in brand management at Unilever, working on iconic consumer brands, including Dove, Degree, Lipton, and Knorr. This foundation in both B2C and financial services marketing has given her a unique perspective on how to blend creative storytelling with data-driven strategic thinking.
Under her leadership, her team has undergone significant transformation, adopting agile methodologies and advanced martech capabilities while maintaining focus on authentic human connection.
Named to our Marketers to Watch list in partnership with The Wall Street Journal, Martin shared her insights on leadership, the future of AI in marketing, and how to build meaningful customer relationships.
What book or podcast do you recommend to marketing leaders?
I highly recommend Adam Grant’s book, Think Again. It’s a fantastic read that encourages us to rethink our approaches and be open to new ideas. As marketers, we need to constantly evolve and adapt to how customers engage with brands. I’m always encouraging my team to try new things, adding a little innovation to everything we do. The more we try, the more chances we have to breakthrough, learn, and connect.
On my daily commute, I enjoy listening to the podcast The Uncensored CMO. It offers a real and sometimes controversial perspective on our industry and gives me a daily dose of inspiration!
How are you and your team currently using AI?
We’re diving into both generative and predictive AI for various tasks like content creation, media optimization, and customer engagement. We’re also testing new AI use cases in our contact centers to help our colleagues more efficiently respond to customer inquiries and deliver exceptional experiences.
Recently, TD launched TD AI Prism, an industry-leading AI model that helps us understand our customers better and personalize our campaigns more effectively.
What’s a prediction you have for marketing over the next few years?
AI and data will definitely drive efficiency and personalization, but the core of great marketing will always be about connecting with people on an emotional level. The best ads are based on simple human truths and solve real customer problems, and I believe that will never change! The most successful companies will be those that can bring together the benefits of AI with powerful creative platforms to build long-term brand loyalty. It’s an exciting time to be in marketing, because we truly don’t know what the future holds with so many new capabilities helping propel our impact.
What’s the most innovative or exciting project you’ve worked on recently?
One of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on started with a clear mission: to help more medical, dental, and veterinary students achieve the dream they’ve worked so hard for. The challenge is that 45% of students can’t cover basic housing costs, and acceptance into these expensive programs turns a moment of celebration into instant financial stress.
With this insight, we aimed to turn stress into optimism with the rallying cry “You got this. We got you.” We tapped into a cultural trend of students filming their acceptance reactions and sharing those emotional reactions online. We created content that mirrored the same burst of joy and uncertainty, inserting TD into the conversation.
With only 4,000 students accepted each year, reaching this niche audience was a unique and exciting media challenge. We layered in high-intent social, contextual display, and native placements around financial planning, school prep, and medical forums to reach students actively seeking guidance.
Backed by real product improvements, like no co-signer required and increased credit limits, we positioned TD as the partner that truly understood their journey. The impact was 2X more accounts and 4X more online appointment bookings versus the previous year. This is a great example of how we can make an impact on customer lives, while also driving meaningful business value.
What’s the most pressing business challenge you’ve faced in the last year and what have you done to solve it?
The challenge we set out to accomplish was to evolve our marketing team with the objective of meeting more customers’ needs and driving profitable growth for the business.
It’s been an incredible year of transformation where we’ve focused on elevating our marketing expertise, while increasing speed and efficiency. We’ve evolved our team structure, introduced agile working models and new workflow tools. We’ve also invested in transforming our martech capabilities to enable more personalized and real-time customer interactions. Lastly, we’ve invested in growing our teams, upskilling and building an inspired team of marketers. It’s been a year of significant change, but we’re already seeing positive results and great feedback from our colleagues.
What leadership muscle is most important for marketers to exercise?
When faced with constant distractions and change, people look to their leader to provide a clear vision and help them stay laser-focused on objectives. Without it, teams can become reactive, easily pulled off course by short-sighted demands and desires to deliver quick results. The best leaders set a clear north star that gives people a sense of purpose and direction, helping them stay grounded in what we’re trying to achieve and why. Clarity and focus can be a competitive advantage in a world of endless opportunities and limited resources.
What’s the most game-changing piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
“Never stop learning!” Our industry is always evolving, so it’s important to stay curious and open to new ideas. A leader once told me to approach every new opportunity with a learning mindset. Whether it’s a new role, a challenging assignment, or a campaign that didn’t go as planned, there’s always something to learn. Plus, I’ve learned so much in my career by being open to taking on challenges that others may not have wanted to, even when they might be less glamorous or visible.
What gives you energy and inspiration outside of work?
I feel most alive and inspired when I am surrounded by the people I love. My relationships fuel me, whether it’s regular nights out with my girlfriends, playing baseball with my two young boys, or trying a new restaurant with my husband. I’m so grateful to have a fantastic circle of women in my life who work in diverse fields, ranging from aviation to psychology. I am always inspired by their humility, sense of purpose, and their passion to support both their families and colleagues.
Marketers to Watch is a recognition series to spotlight highly innovative and forward-thinking marketing leaders in the community. If you have someone you’d like to nominate for the series, apply here.
