TurboTax has unveiled a short inspired by horror films to capture the anxiety young people feel about doing their taxes.
“Undone” is a 9-minute video that captures the heart-pounding anxiety of tax time, and features a young influencer and entrepreneur who peers through her apartment door peephole into a hallway shrouded in darkness.
The work, which even has a “disturbing to some viewers” disclaimer, is by Filip Terlecki, founder of The Creators Bureau and the director of Suffer, an indie horror film about a teacher confined to a hospital for the criminally insane.
Gah-Yee Won, head of marketing, consumer group at parent company Intuit, tells strategy that people have engaged with its longer-form content in the past. And with something relatable like “Undone,” it’s something its target can connect with, especially Gen Z, which is very much interested in the horror genre but also anxious about filing.
“Gen Z loves horror films… and so we put this together as a way to shed light on tax anxiety and the mental health aspect of it, and we’ve also partnered with mental health expert Brittany Krystantos,” Won says.
On Thursday, Intuit/TurboTax hosted a media preview of the film and panel discussion with Krystantos to unpack the work, the phenomenon of tax anxiety, how it manifests and strategies for overcoming it.
The “Undone” campaign is based on brand insights that 85% of Gen Z Canadians will experience anxiety or stress in anticipation of filing their taxes, while 70% of Gen Z Canadians have experienced a significant life event that will impact their taxes.
The horror-themed work is diametrically opposed to TurboTax’s casual, easygoing suburban hockey mom ad spot that Won was first associated with when she joined Intuit.
Won says that while she’s not a fan of horror herself, it brings customers along to tell a story. She adds that while the ad is risky, it’s captivating content.
Going to a low-cost tax pro and handing over a file of papers is an entrenched habit the brand is looking to break, especially as brand loyalty is strong once the target is reached.
“We want to share with our customers, we actually have experts,” she adds. Assisted review products can help the younger cohort, who may be a bit reticent about tackling tax time alone.
It’s all about empowerment, Won says.
The campaign is digitally led, with ad spend comparable to previous spring efforts.
Citizen Relations led the creative and the execution. Zenith and Laundry Service offered media support, Trevor//Peter handled social and Goat offered influencer support.
