H&R Block, in a swipe at TurboTax, says you should definitely do your taxes
Ogilvy spots urge you to be ‘fiscally responsible’ while poking fun at rival service’s ‘Don’t do your taxes’ campaign

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With eight days left until Tax Day on April 18, H&R Block is releasing some comic spots poking fun at rival TurboTax’s “Don’t do your taxes” campaign. The message from H&R: Definitely do your taxes.
Along with the longform spot below, there’s a bunch of :15s. They’re made in the style of anonymous silhouette interviews with folks who followed TurboTax’s advice, making room for other passions rather than doing their taxes. In the end, none of it worked out well for any of them.
See the :15s over at the company’s YouTube. To cover its bases, H&R does put fine print at the end of the spots: “In all seriousness, TurboTax isn’t saying you should ignore your tax obligations.”
“Despite what many have recently heard about not doing taxes, this public service message is for the 121 million people who are eligible to file,” said press materials. “And it serves as both a reality check and tax preparation advice, because doing taxes is the right and fiscally responsible thing to do.”
H&R Block even extended the campaign into consumer research, surveying 1,000 tax filers in March to get their thoughts on the consequences of not doing taxes. Among other findings, nearly 70% of respondents said you could go to jail for not doing your taxes, with 79% saying you could be fined and 60% believing your wages could be garnished.
Ogilvy’s first work for H&R Block broke in December, likening tax season to other celebratory times, such as Christmas, football season and Hollywood award shows.
Credits
- Date
- Apr 10, 2023
- Client :
- H&R Block
- Agency :
- Ogilvy
- Chief Marketing & Experience Officer :
- Jill Cress
- Vice President Corporate Communications :
- Angela Davied
- Director of Advertising & Creative Studio :
- Wendy Fitch
- President :
- Chris Beresford-Hill
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Menno Kluin
- Group Executive Creative Director :
- Steve Fogel
- Group Executive Creative Director :
- Doug Fallon
- Creative Director :
- Todd Bradley
- Creative Director :
- Harry Barron
- Associate Creative Director :
- Andy Truong
- Associate Creative Director :
- Sarah Arrington
- Junior Designer :
- Nathan Kim
- Senior Creative Project Manager :
- Juliana Leandra
- Senior Producer :
- Regan Wallace
- Producer :
- Jessica Ryle
- Senior Business Manager :
- Deborah Steeg
- Executive Partner :
- Stephanie Ricke
- Executive Group Director :
- Emily Maier
- Executive Vice President :
- Drew Warren
- Senior Vice President :
- Stefanie Schmit
- Account Director :
- Rebecca Taylor
- Group Strategy Director :
- Iris Coldibelli
- Editorial :
- Hogarth
- Executive Post Producer :
- Ned Martin
- Senior Post Producer :
- Jennefer Frangella
- Editor :
- Alexandra Smith
- Animator :
- Vanessa Di Staulo
- Assistant Editor :
- Magdalynn Nowotarski
- VP Director of Audio :
- Dante Desole
- Senior Audio Engineer :
- Colin Blendell
- Associate Audio Producer :
- Kyle St. Agathe
- Associate Creative Director :
- Zach Buckner
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