Doing your taxes is a challenging exercise for many. So is marketing it to disinterested consumers.

This tax season, H&R Block has focused on targeting Gen Z—many of whom are first-time filers—through entertainment. “It starts with a strategy around Gen Z. And then from there, we start to look at how we can connect with that audience and meet them where they are, as opposed to interrupting them with ad units and content,” Jill Cress, CMO at H&R Block, told Chief Marketer this week.

“Ninety-three percent of Gen Z want to see brands that are doing something new and unique, and we’re operating in a competitive attention economy. And they really don't want to be interrupted,” she said. We spoke with the marketing chief about the brand’s engagement strategy, why it chose a reality TV parody as the campaign’s content format, how it’s being marketed to the public, and her thoughts on competitive differentiation.

AI has made many people’s jobs easier, faster and more productive, with applications like ChatGPT improving knowledge professionals' quality of work by a whopping 40%, according to the Harvard Business School. But all of this increased speed and productivity has given leaders a new challenge: When anyone can create commoditized content, how can you stand out in the marketplace of ideas? It goes back to communications basics.

The proliferation of misinformation and disinformation across the Internet, and the fact that we’re in a U.S. election year, makes the programmatic ad buying process particularly precarious for brands right now. How can marketers establish control over what content their marketing messages run against? Here’s how advertisers can be proactive.   

Lastly, if you’re looking some experiential inspiration, check out these 15 brand activations from the Super Bowl in Las Vegas last month—from the Frito-Lay Chip Strip to TCL’s call-a-game experience to Bud Light’s Backyard Tour.

Until next week,

Kaylee Hultgren
Editor
Chief Marketer

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