TurboTax shows advantages of a support team in national campaign

Who: Intuit TurboTax and Juniper Park\TWBA, with Camelot for media, Citizen Relations for PR and We Are Social for social.

What:  “Your tax experts,” the brand’s first Canadian-made national campaign. It is Juniper Park\TBWA’s first work for Intuit TurboTax since winning the business last August.

When & Where: The campaign broke during last weekend’s Super Bowl telecast and continues through tax season. Media elements include TV and online video, supported by digital banners, PR and social.

Why: The main objective, says TurboTax’s director of marketing and analytics Terry Yakimchick, is to change consumer perceptions of the brand by showing how it has evolved beyond its DIY reputation. The emphasis is on TurboTax Live, a two-year-old service which provides users with real-time access to tax experts to help them maximize their return.

“We’re proud of the work we’ve done to make sure we can offer truly tailored and scalable support for Canadians, and this campaign was all about demonstrating how that comes to life through real experts when in our assisted offering, TurboTax Live,” he said.

How: The 30-second spot compares a first-class plane traveller with someone in economy class, pointing out that what separates the two is the support network that helps the former succeed. “When it comes to taxes, she’s got a team of experts making sure she gets every possible tax break. But now, so do you,” says the voiceover.

During the campaign development period, the marketing team brought together agency partners for a discussion with current and potential TurboTax customers—during which they heard how finances impact their daily lives and the stress of tax time. One of the key takeaways was the tax refund is typically their biggest financial windfall of the year, and they want to make sure they maximize it.

And we quote: “Intuit’s broader brand vision is financial freedom for everyone, so we sought to develop a campaign that empowered Canadians who up until now have felt very uncertain and alone when it comes to their taxes. We felt the airplane scene served to connect with and celebrate our customer, hard-working people who need to be smart with their money, and may have previously felt that they can’t afford the expert help of an accountant.” —Neil Walker-Wells, group creative director,Juniper Park\TBWA.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ySfMGGcanxoHE3rYM23-g

Chris Powell