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Apr 02

George Takei, H&R Block Remind Us All to File Our Taxes

Posted in: Uncategorized

The April 15 tax deadline looms once again, so as a friendly reminder, Minneapolis-based Fallon launched a new campaign for H&R Block that aims to light a tiny fire under the stragglers out there.

How better to remind late filers than to employ the services of Captain Sulu/Howard Stern vet/social media maven George Takei, whose trademark baritone lends an air of refinement and wit to something as dull as the tax code?

Takei stars in a total of five spots, which not only live on YouTube but also on his own social channels including Facebook (nearly 700,000 views and counting).

The usual bow tie-sporting H&R Block pitchman plays the foil to Takei’s shenanigans, whether he’s tanning while dropping science (above) or determining when someone actually turns 70.5 years old (below).

At this point, we’d rather just have Takei do our taxes for us — and despite the deadpan goings-on, the campaign probably won’t make anyone dread Tax Day any less.

Fallon

Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Kling

Creative Director: Patrick Figueroa

Art Director: Phil Jones

Copywriter: Charlie Kuhn

Chief Production Officer: Charles Wolford

Senior Producer: Erin Simle

Assistant Producer: Alexis Jones

Business Manager: Mona Morris

Group Account Director: Marc Mason

Account Director: Anna Kelly

Account Supervisor: Liz O’Reilly

Production: Supply & Demand

Head of Production: Jeff Scruton

Director: Matt Lenski

Producer: Ely Siler

DP: Rob Witt

Editorial: Fallon

Editor: Ryan Philippi

Producer: Matt Nelson

Post-Production: Pixel Farm

Designer: Jeff Stevens

Colorist: Dave Sweet

Lead VFX Artist: Kurt Angel

Audio Designer & Mixer: Ken Chastain

Executive Producer: Tammy Kimbler

Apr 14

H&R Block Has Spent Most of This Tax Season Making Fun of Hipsters

Posted in: Uncategorized

Mocking hipsters was cool until H&R Block started doing it. (Actually, it's probably been passé for a while now. Really, it was so 2012.) Nonetheless, in an effort to reach millennials, the tax prep brand has been running a social media campaign titled "Hipster Tax Crisis."

The effort hinges mostly on the idea that anyone who fits one of many stereotypes that's been lobbed at the ill-defined group in recent years—e.g., horn-rimmed glasses—is probably bad at doing their taxes. As the Guardian points out, that's really not true—young people just seem to favor TurboTax.

In fairness, the campaign does include some decent zingers. "Growing organic arugula on a fire escape does not enable to you take a farm tax credit," reads one print ad (labeled as a "Hipster Tax Fact"). But a truly painful "Hipster Tax Rap" video more than compensates for the better moments.

It's good for brands to take risks, and to rib their consumers. But it's not exactly risky to keep beating a dead horse. Macklemore is mainstream. Hipsters, whoever they are, have won. And if a marketer is going to take aim at them, there's a high bar to beat in jeans brand Denham's delightful remake of American Psycho.

Also, treating a portion of your target demographic like a cheap piñata might not be the best way to grow your business in the cohort. But who cares. Hipsters don't have any money, and with ESPN personality Kenny Mayne as a spokesman, the sports junkies must be a lock.

Plus, H&R Block is going for the normcore set, which is much more fashionable these days.