H&R Block: GREENBACKS FOR GREENBACK

Credits & Description:

Type of Entry: Use of Promo & Activation
Category: Best Use of Experiential Marketing in a Promotional Campaign
Advertiser/Client: H&R BLOCK
Product/Service: TAX SERVICES
Entrant Company: FALLON Minneapolis, USA
Sales Promotion/Advertising Agency: FALLON Minneapolis, USA
Chief Creative Officer: Darren Spiller
Copywriter: Ryan Peck
Art Director: Scott O'Leary
Integrated Producer: Ted Knutson & Lauren May
Director: Mark Romanek (Anonymous Content)
Cinematographer: Salvatore Totin
Editor: Michael Heldman (Spotwelders)
Editor: Erik Carlson (VOLT Studios)
Head of Integrated Production: Corey Esse
Writer - Digital: David Mackereth
Business Affairs: Brendan Lawrence & Brent Larson
Integrated Producer: Nicole Earley & Matt Lund
Art Director - Digital: Noah Carlstrom & Amanda Whitacre
Account Team: Chris Lawrence, Pete Leacock & Evan Brown
Developer: Kla Haeck
UX: Allison Beattie
Producer: Arstides McGarry (Anonymous Content)
Executive Producer: Dave Morrison & SueEllen Clair (Anonymous Content)
Visual Effects: James Allen (Public)
Sound Design: Jeff Payne (Eleven Sound)

Describe the brief from the client:
To increase customer acquisition by proving the value of using H&R Block for tax preparation. The target audience was to be drawn from both existing and new customers. The strategy was to leverage H&R Block’s unmatched tax expertise.
Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation:
Instead of just telling America we were the very best tax preparers, we thought, “why not prove it?” So we travelled to a small town in Tennessee and offered to redo the income taxes of every person living there. If, after reexamining their taxes, this “Second Look” found them more money, we would prove we were better than the other tax preparers and worth the money we charge. We called the mayor, sent letters to every resident, rented the high school gym, packed up forty-five of our finest tax experts and made the journey to Tennessee.
Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results:
Huge. After ten days and 1,500 man-hours, we brought $14,687 back to the people of Greenback–all money they didn’t even know was owed them. The millions of Americans who saw our long-format Web documentaries, televisions spots, radio, guerilla postings and banner ads started to wonder if they were owed money, too. And they came to H&R Block in droves to find out: after our launch, appointments at H&R Block offices skyrocketed +350% over last year, online starts jumped +250%, and applications from first-time H&R Block users doubled.
Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service:
This concept was most relevant because it literally demonstrated the service, proved its value and highlighted our superiority in the category.