Who: H&R Block Canada, Sid Lee, UK directors The Bobbsey Twins, Vapor RMW (sound).

What: The second iteration of the tax preparation service’s “Get What’s Yours” campaign.

When & Where:  Timed to coincide with tax season, the national campaign is anchored by a pair of 15-second TV spots. Other elements include out-of-home, pre-roll, digital and social video.

Why: Following three straight years of declines, last year’s first iteration of the campaign—bolstered by new incentives and a referral program—produced a 4.5% increase in new clients for H&R Block.

How: The campaign uses humour  to highlight the perils of allowing non-professionals to prepare your taxes. According to Sid Lee, the campaign’s intent is to shift the focus from the filing process to the importance of using an expert  to maximize returns.

So taxes can be funny?: Turns out they can. In one of two TV spots, “Ex-wife,” a man is left with just $17 from his $1,100 return after his former wife prepares his return and deducts his alimony payment. In “Co-worker,” a jealous co-worker is upset by the fact his colleague earns $22,000 a year more. “It’s a bit of a slap in the teeth,” just might be our favourite mangled catchphrase ever.

And we quote: “We are eager to see this campaign continue to surpass our goals and outshine our expectations. Through the effectiveness of ‘Get What’s Yours,’ we exceeded our 2018 growth goal and attained new retail clients in all provinces, including those facing economic challenges such as Alberta and the Atlantic region.” —David Loria, director of marketing, H&R Block.