H&R Block's Marketing Strategy Is To Make Taxes Feel A Little Less Taxing | AdExchanger

"The company believes that "life moments are tax moments," said Chief Marketing and Experience Officer Jill Cress, and so finding ways to "hijack culture in a big way" - like, for instance, letting the Kansas-based associates leave the office early to "celebrate love" after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement - is key to connecting with audiences on a more personal level."

"Once you start doing your taxes, even if you're very dissatisfied, you're probably going to stick with your provider, because the barrier to switching feels high. It's like, "Oh, they have my data, and I'm not super delighted," but it's taxes, and it's not a delightful category anyway. So the biggest opportunity for us to grow is to capture new entrants into the category every year. And the only demographic that enters the category in mass every year is Gen Z. Generally, when you graduate from college, move out or get your first job, your parents stop doing your taxes, and we have an awareness and a relevance gap with Gen Z."

"H&R Block's somewhat unconventional approach includes making relatable TikToks targeted at young adults more so than sharing actual tax advice. It's also done integrations with gaming platforms and even produced a tax-themed riff on a reality dating show (more on that later)."

H&R Block focuses marketing on acquiring Gen Z because first-time filers tend to stay with their initial provider, creating a high switching barrier. The company prioritizes awareness and relevance with new entrants each year. Marketing tactics include relatable TikTok content, integrations with gaming platforms such as Roblox, and culturally timed stunts. The company treats life events as tax-relevant moments and seeks to "hijack culture" to form personal connections. The strategy aims to grow market share by engaging younger users early and maintaining relevance outside the traditional tax season.

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