INLAND REVENUE - SELF ASSESSMENT
CASE SUMMARY This paper tells how the Inland Revenue gained impressive results when
it took a dramatic change of advertising direction. Record numbers of
taxpayers are now filing their tax returns on time and the level of
online filing has increased 20-fold since the launch of the
campaign. Perhaps most remarkably, there has been a dramatic shift in perception -
people now think the Inland Revenue is changing for the better and that
tax self assessment is getting easier. Altogether, the campaign has
generated savings of £185 million on a total spend of £22.5
million - a return on investment of £8.22 for every £1
spent. Given a fresh insight and a powerful change in advertising
direction, even the most difficult marketing task does not have to be
taxing.
JUDGE'S VIEW
"The Inland Revenue case was well argued and presented - and eminently readable. There was a diverse mass audience, a complex issue, low interest, poor brand perception and high value at stake. So it was clear that delivering an engaging campaign, based on a genuine insight into audience motivations, was a prerequisite to achieving any meaningful improvements in effectiveness compared with previous attempts.
"It could be argued that the paper did not establish causality over very good online results (after all, isn't this just a general consumer trend?) but the logic is sound with regard to economic impact, the brand results are impressive, and the core objective of improving timely returns was met."
- Nick Smith, former marketing and strategy director, British Gas; chairman, The Marketing Society.
