H&R Block: NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS

Credits & Description:

Type of Entry: Best Integrated Promotional Campaign

Category: Best Integrated Campaign Led by Promotion and Activation

Advertiser/Client: H&R BLOCK

Product/Service: H&R BLOCK

Entrant Company: FALLON Minneapolis, USA

Sales Promotion/Advertising Agency: FALLON Minneapolis, USA



Chief Creative Officer: Darren Spiller (Fallon)

Copywriter: Ryan Peck (Fallon)

Art Director: Scott O'Leary (Fallon)

Integrated Producer: Ted Knutson & Lauren May (Fallon)

Director: Mark Romanek (Anonymous Content)

Cinematographer: Salvatore Totino ()

Editor: Michael Heldman (Spotwelders)

Editor: Erik Carlson (VOLT Studios)

Head of Integrated Production: Corey Esse (Fallon)

Writer - Digital: David Mackereth (Fallon)

Business Affairs: Brendan Lawrence & Brent Larson (Fallon)

Integrated Producer: Nicole Earley & Matt Lund (Fallon)

Art Director - Digital: Noah Carlstrom & Amanda Whitacre (Fallon)

Account Team: Chris Lawrence, Pete Leacock & Evan Brown (Fallon)

Developer: Kla Haeck (Fallon)

UX: Allison Beattie (Fallon)

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.