H&R Block Proves Taxpayers Should 'Never Settle For Less'
KANSAS CITY, MO, Jan 14, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) set out to prove in its 2011 testimonial ad campaign that if you're not using H&R Block for tax preparation, you're probably leaving money on the table.
"With tax law complexity, last-minute changes and tax filing delays, it's easier than ever for taxpayers to miss valuable tax breaks or make critical mistakes if they choose anything less than the best service, best tax professional and the best tax advice," said Robert Turtledove, chief marketing officer for H&R Block. "Nobody knows taxes like H&R Block and we're committed to ensuring each client gets the largest tax refund they're due."
With cameras rolling and the filter off, H&R Block tax professionals reviewed the tax returns of residents of Greenback, Tenn., and customers of the Nickel Diner in downtown Los Angeles. The goal was to see if H&R Block's tax professionals could find more refund money in the tax returns -- money the taxpayers or other tax preparers had missed.
"We put our knowledge and expertise to the test and the results speak for themselves: Many taxpayers were leaving money on the table, and they were delighted, surprised and sometimes overwhelmed with the good news about how much money H&R Block found them," Turtledove said. "Instead of simply talking about it, we actually showed our expertise in this campaign. We brought it to life with real client interactions and proved you shouldn't take chances with something as important as your taxes."
Other commercials in the Never Settle For Less campaign highlight the range of offers, tools and expertise H&R Block has to meet taxpayers' needs. One series of ads features real consumer reactions to "free" offers in a bike store and a camera shop, as ways to showcase H&R Block's free, simple, federal tax return available this year in the company's 11,000 retail offices or through H&R Block At Home online -- a welcome value in this challenging economy.
Another ad raises awareness of H&R Block At Home's digital tax solutions by featuring a real construction crew using a 16-foot, pink, plush bunny to demolish an abandoned building. The reactions of an unsuspecting crowd were captured to illustrate the importance of using the right tool for the job, and that DIY filers shouldn't settle for anything less than the best tax preparation tools.
H&R Block's campaign was created by Fallon Minneapolis.
"It's a simple, perfect idea that connects what H&R Block is all about with what taxpayers today really need," said Darren Spiller, Fallon chief creative officer. "While it's a bit of a gamble to shoot a real-life campaign, as soon as we met folks in Greenback and at the Nickel Diner, we knew that we'd see the impact of what H&R Block could deliver." Spiller continued, "It was moving to see the difference H&R Block can make in a taxpayer's life."
As for hanging a 16-foot bunny from a crane to demonstrate digital expertise with H&R Block At Home, "What better way to grab people's attention and show them in a truly memorable way that there are serious pitfalls if they use the wrong tool for the job," Spiller said. "We want people to know and understand that they should never settle for less, whether it's money in your pocket, individual expertise or product performance."
The Never Settle For Less campaign includes television, radio, online, in-store and out-of-home ads. Real-life stories from the campaign can be viewed at www.neversettleforless.com.
H&R Block provides guaranteed, income tax return preparation services through its company-owned and franchise offices, and the H&R Block At Home online and desktop solutions. For an online tutorial, join H&R Block's Get It Right Community tax forum, and visit its Facebook and Twitter pages. Through February, one H&R Block Twitter follower is selected daily to win a free copy of H&R Block At Home online.
About H&R Block H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is one of the world's largest tax services providers, having prepared more than 550 million tax returns worldwide since 1955. In fiscal 2010, H&R Block had annual revenues of $3.9 billion and prepared more than 23 million tax returns worldwide, utilizing more than 100,000 highly trained tax professionals. The Company provides tax return preparation services in person, through H&R Block At Home(TM) online and desktop software products, and through other channels. The Company is also one of the leading providers of business services through RSM McGladrey. For more information, visit our Online Press Center.
About Fallon Fallon Minneapolis is a division of Fallon Worldwide, a part of Publicis Groupe S.A., based in Paris. Fallon Minneapolis' clients include: Travelers, TIME Magazine, Nestle Purina, Nestle Beverages, Cadillac, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Cruzan Rum, Charter Communications, NBC Universal, General Mills, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and TheLadders.com. Fallon Worldwide is one of the world's most critically acclaimed creativity companies, delivering inventive business solutions for some of the world's leading brands. Additional information can be found at www.fallon.com.
For Further Information Kate O'Neill Rauber 816-854-4287 Email Contact Karen Brown Knapp 612-758-6263 Email Contact
SOURCE: H & R Block
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