That’s right. Intuit’s latest ad for TurboTax – that unsexy, boring accounting software – broke the mold. Finally. It’s a great piece of storytelling. Here’s why.
It’s never about your products and services.
It’s always about people and what your products and services allow people to do better. Here, TurboTax celebrates the year of you. It’s all about YOU – what you did this year. As the spot says, ‘You know your own story better than anyone. So we think the best person to understand that story and do your own taxes is YOU.’ That’s how you humanize and create that emotional connection. The ad ends with ‘It’s amazing what you’re capable of.’ If TurboTax can make that connection, anyone product can (sorry Intuit, but it’s true…accounting software isn’t exciting). Now granted TurboTax is aimed at consumers; however, Intuit also has products aimed at businesses. I’d love to see this for QuickBooks, for example.
Source: Intuit
The Story of You
This ad is all about story, as it should be. You are a story – you do awesome stuff. Your taxes reflect that story of you and all the huge life changes that become the soundtrack of your life – from getting married to having a child to traveling for business. It’s all about the events that shape and change your life. It’s a celebration: “The Year of You.”
It’s Fun!
From having a child to getting married, to bonding with your co-workers and still getting up at 7AM the next day…all these events are narrated in a fun, light-hearted way. Amen!
Here are a few fun samples:
“In March you did something awesome. We don’t know what. But you did and it was remarkable.”
“You created another human being and became a zombie.”
“You got married. You found your one in 7 billion. And you did it without software. You’re like a spy…”
“You made a trip to DesMoine. And bonded with your co-workers. Really Bonded. And still managed to get up at 7AM.”
Source: Intuit
Want to Rock Anything, especially B2B? Inject the Fun, Human Story
Being in B2B is not an excuse to not be human. B2B doesn’t mean “blah to boring.” Here’s to 2014 and the year of turning B2B Marketing on its head!
What do you think about the ad? Leave a comment!
