This paper tells how the Inland Revenue took a dramatic change of advertising direction with impressive results. Record numbers of taxpayers are now filing their tax returns on time and Internet filing now stands at over 20 times the level prior to launch. In the face of a difficult communication brief, the campaign achieved major beneficial turnarounds in terms of consumer behaviour and the perception of the IR brand. In a multi-stranded media approach, TV was key in helping to connect with a “difficult to reach audience”. Engaging creative played off the medium’s capability to engage audiences through compelling imagery and to project character, in this case, that of Adam Hart-Davis. There has been a dramatic uplift in the sense that the Inland Revenue is changing for the better, and that self-assessment is getting easier. TV has got a fabulous track record of getting consumers to see and do things differently. 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 invested. Given a fresh insight and a powerful change in advertising direction, even the most difficult marketing task doesn’t have to be taxing.

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