TD Ameritrade has a long history of firsts: First to offer touch-tone phone trading (1988), the first brokerage to execute an online trade (1994), and first to offer 24/5 trading (2018), to name a few. So when it came to Bitcoin and the blockchain, we needed to make a forward-thinking statement. A statement that was itself an innovation. So instead of just talking about the blockchain and cryptocurrency, we let the blockchain do the talking for us. And although our ad may look a little simple, we harnessed the highly innovative technology of the blockchain to put it together.

At its most basic level, the blockchain is a public ledger that logs transactions. So how did we turn those transactions into an ad? With a part of the blockchain called OP_Return, which functions like the memo space on a check, simple messages and characters can be placed within transactions in the blockchain. By linking 68 individual Bitcoin transactions, with 80 characters per transaction, we were able to create a larger image—the image of the flag being planted—all on a shoestring budget of $23.15 USD (just 0.002856 BTC). For maximum impact, we launched our ASCII-art ad at a time when there was peak excitement around cryptocurrencies and the blockchain. Though supported by PR and social media initiatives, the first ad in the blockchain lives only on the ledger—which we turned into a media channel for the first time ever. Will there be more ads in the blockchain going forward? Probably. For now, our ad is finished, published, and live—and will live forever in the blockchain.

Rather than rely on traditional channels, we innovated our way into an emerging tech platform, transforming it into a media platform that would drive social currency. We hacked the blockchain placing our ad inside of it. As a result, we saw a 229% increase in social mentions and 51.6 million media impressions, in the first week alone. And, all that at a total ad cost of $23.15. In the end we became a part of the blockchain conversation by being a part of it, literally. Having been the first to hack the blockchain, we eagerly await what else can be done with the technology.

The first ad in the blockchain. This achievement belongs only to one brand, and that brand is TD Ameritrade. We took an existing piece of innovative technology—the blockchain—and innovated on top of it, turning it into a media platform while embedding its first branded message. Using cleverness and creativity, we found a way to promote our newest offering, Bitcoin futures trading, in a unique way that’s highly relevant to our audience. In the process, we planted our flag on the unhackable, unchangeable digital ledger, in an innovative way that will be remembered—and be there—forever.

4/6/18 - 1st transaction live in the blockchain

4/10/18 - All 68 transactions live in the blockchain

4/16/18 - TD Ameritrade landing page live with messaging 4pm ET

4/20/18 - First press articles went live

By nature, the blockchain has limited capabilities, but we found that one of its functions (OP_Return) allows pieces of data just 80 bytes in length to be embedded. Those 80 bytes roughly translate to 80 plaintext characters (when you stick to only the most simple letters, numbers and punctuations). We had to be clever about how to construct our message, and did so by linking together 68 transactions and creating a piece of ASCII art. And, with a total ad spend of $23.15 USD (just 0.002856 BTC), we managed to embed the first ever ad in the blockchain.