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By design, filing taxes is painful. So much so that 56% of Americans dread doing it and 26% say they hate it, per Pew Research.
TurboTax has built its business around this collective grumble, making it easier for people to submit to the IRS in a few clicks. Now, before the April 2025 tax filing deadline, it’s reframing its brand with the launch of a media blitz that has Gen Z firmly in its sights.
The Intuit-owned brand has launched “Now This Is Taxes,” a new campaign developed by agency of record R/GA.
The push debuts with six hero spots that highlight the company’s mobile AI-powered tech. TurboTax says these tools let tax filers access a qualified expert and complete the ordeal in as little as two hours.
The films focus on elements including ease of use, speed, user experience, business customers, and the fixed price of its full-service product.
“Storytelling through product can be difficult,” Trevor Kelley, Intuit’s, vp of consumer marketing told ADWEEK. But he believes the result, inspired by R/GA’s work with Apple in the product space, is a campaign that balances functionality with purpose.
Courting Gen Z
TurboTax is in its second tax season working R/GA. The agency has helped it take a fresh approach to what can be a dry subject, launching campaigns including an R&B spot with Workaholics star Adam DeVine and its 2024 Super Bowl campaign, “Make Your Moves Count.”
As it faces increased competition from rivals including H&R Block and TaxSlayer, such lighter creative endeavors precede a 2025 plan for TubroTax to plant itself deeper into pop-culture moments. The aim? To engage younger consumers and capture what Kelley describes as “low complexity” filers.
With 25% of Gen Zers saying filing taxes makes them want to consult with a therapist, Kelley has the demographic firmly in his sights.
“Positive metrics around Gen Z would be a great outcome” of the campaign, Kelly said, pointing to an opportunity to build loyalty among young people setting up their filing habits for life.
A diversified media mix will support this goal. The brand already launched one of the hero spots for the campaign during Netflix’s NFL Christmas games.