New celebrity spots tell people to 'relax, there’s TurboTax'
Doing your taxes is never fun, but according to a new series of spots, TurboTax can make tackling your taxes a heck of a lot easier.
The “Relax, There’s TurboTax” campaign kicked off over the new year and will ramp up during tax season and even be featured during the Super Bowl. The campaign demonstrates that with TurboTax by Intuit Inc., taxpayers are in charge, but never alone, as they prepare their taxes. The spots highlight a new feature, SmartLook, providing customers in-product access to a live, one-way video connection to a TurboTax expert or credentialed CPA or enrolled agent, to get real-time, personalized answers.
The campaign includes five broadcast spots, in both English and Spanish, and web films showing reassuring conversations that happen between TurboTax experts and customers, played by celebrities Kathy Bates, DJ Khaled, David Ortiz and Karla Souza. Each celebrity has an over-the-top tax situation, brought to life through playful storylines. In each ad, the celebrity asks a unique question to an unflappable TurboTax expert, who answers even the toughest question in stride.
“Kathy Bates Scary Dependents” shows the sometimes horror actor asking if she can claim the creepy ghosts kids in her new house as dependents. “David Ortiz New Job” shows the retired slugger as a tennis instructor who blasts balls all over the country club. “DJ Khaled The Exercise Program” shows the hefty producer and DJ running an exercise program with plenty of bling, and “Karla Souza Dependientes” shows the actress asking about her dependents in Spanish.
“This year’s campaign is the next step in redefining the TurboTax brand by proving that TurboTax has human help on demand so that people know they’re never alone,” said Greg Johnson, senior vice president of marketing for Intuit TurboTax. “The campaign works to overcome the biggest barrier to those who don’t use software today. It demonstrates that TurboTax can serve a broad range of taxpayers, including Latinos, self-employed or those who’ve had life changes, by providing immediate access to expert assurance. With TurboTax, there’s a human, on demand in the palm of your hand.”
The campaign includes media integrations, digital and social activations and will continue throughout the 2017 tax season in sports, entertainment and cultural moments, including a 45-second ad during the Super Bowl.
VIDEO
Creative Directors
Erik Fahrenkopf, Max Stinson
Copywriters
Jarrod Higgins (DJ Khaled The Exercise Program, David Ortiz New Job)
Wayne Ching (Kathy Bates Scary Dependents)
Art Directors
Brandon Viney (DJ Khaled The Exercise Program, David Ortiz New Job)
Susan Land (Kathy Bates Scary Dependents)
Producer
Jeff Selis
Account Team
Courtney Nelson / Vanessa Miller / Corey Woodson / Alex Fitch
Business Affairs
Karen Roche
Head of Production
Ben Grylewicz
Studio
Amy Streger / Eric Reigert / Dana Beaty
Project Manager
Annie Quach
PRODUCTION
Production Company
Smuggler
Director
Ivan Zachariáš
Co-Founder
Brian Carmody
Executive Producer
Allison Kunzman
Line Producer
Nick Landon
Cinematographer
Adam Kimmel
1st Asst. Director
Bobby Phillips
Production Designer
Jeremy Hindle
Key Costumer
Courtney Hoffman
EDITORIAL
Editorial Company
Robota
Editor
Filip Malasek
VFX & Design
VFX Company
The Mill
Senior Producer
Anastasia von Rahl
Production Coordinator
Chris Lewis
Shoot Supervisor
Tim Davies / James Allen
Creative Director
Tim Davies
2D Lead Artist
James Allen
2D Artists
Becky Porter / Don Kim / Jeff Langlois / John Shirley / Kelsey Napier / Krysten Richardson / Peter Sidoriak / Tim Davies / Tim Robbins / Rob Winfield / Anthony Petitti / Matthew Dobrez / Adam Lambert
3D Artists
Blake Guest (Previz)
Motion Graphics
Jason Kang / Greg Park
Colour
Colour Company
The Mill
Executive Producer, Colour
Thatcher Peterson
Colour Producer
Diane Valera
Production Coordinator, Colour:
Robert Cohen
Colourist
Greg Reese / Adam Scott
SOUND DESIGN
Music+Sound Company
Pefflabs, Inc.
Sound Designer
Jeff Sudakin
MIX
Mix Company
LIME Studios
Audio Mixer
Sam Casas
Audio Assistant
Lisa Mermelstien
Executive Producer
Susie Boyajan
Producer
Kayla Phungglan
HM Production (Karla Souza Dependientes & David Ortiz Nuevo Trabajo)
Grupo Gallegos
Creative Directors
Carlos Tornell
Copywriter
Manolo Vargas / Gabriel Ascencio
Art Director
Cristian Orozco
Account Team
Jose Pablo Rodriguez
Executive Creative Directors
Sebastian Garin
Head of Production
Carlos Barciela
Strategic Planning
Silvina Cendra
Music Company (Temporada de Impuestos con TurboTax y Karla Souza)
Music+Sound Company
Major Tom
Managing Director
Mark Kirby