H&R Block, a leading tax-preparation company, is becoming known for regularly changing its advertising slogans. Once again, H&R has caught public attention with a new campaign called “Get it right.” This latest approach focuses on consumer needs and pays attention to detailed aspects of individual income tax. Questions like “Is a haircut a job-hunting expense?” and “Last summer, my kid made four figures. Does he have to file a tax return?” are asked in the commercial.

H & R Chief Marketing Operator Robert Turtledove said that when he initially presented the creative route to franchisees, many were happy with a direction themed “I’ve got people”. But Turtledove thought that “Get it right” would resonate more with consumers on a practical level. The new ads present H&R Block as a resource of information and is reinforced by a social media plan that includes the input of 1,000 H&R tax professionals on Twitter. The ads also carry the sign-off “click, call or come over,” increasing the brand’s approachability for consumers.
This campaign should strengthen H&R Block’s brand. The focus is on consumers, the concrete examples presented in the advertising will strengthen brand knowledge, and the social media interaction will build esteem. By enhancing both the esteem and knowledge pillars of brand equity, brand stature will be built.
However, attention to differentiation and relevance is still needed to ensure a balanced approach to brand equity building. For example, H & R Block may still be lacking differentiation. Rob Frankel, a New York-based branding expert, said that although the new ad approach is quite logical, it’s not specific enough. “You could slot in any other tax preparer’s ID,” he said. “What reason is H&R Block giving for choosing them?”
Another point of concern is just how many slogans the brand has gone through in the past few years, including “America’s tax team” and “Just plain smart”. A good slogan can help to distinguish the brand from competitors and explain what the brand is all about. Numerous and changing taglines can confuse consumers and dilute brand equity. In the case of H&R Block, it seems they do not stick with one creative direction long enough. It is important that creative communications such as advertising are informed by the brand strategy which is relatively stable over time.