Jackson Hewitt Ads Show the Joy of Taxes

Although about 70 percent of people get money—sometimes a substantial amount—back at tax time, many ads in the tax preparation category have discussed minimizing the pain of the season, but a new campaign from Jackson Hewitt is all about the joy of a big refund check.

The TV, print, outdoor and online campaign, from Zimmerman Advertising, plays up the idea of getting a refund check, by showing consumers toting around a large check (like the kind presented at charity events) after visiting Jackson Hewitt. The approach contrasts with rival H&R Block's ad campaign this year, which touts the firm's ability to answer tough tax questions.

Debra Dowd, who joined the company a year ago after serving as head of marketing for Almay Cosmetics at Revlon, among other posts, said that emphasizing refunds was a "really obvious place to go," since research showed that many Americans looked forward to tax time. "It's one of the largest checks you'll get this year," she said, noting that if anything, the economy made that even more true. A radio ad emphasizes the joy of post tax time with cries of "Let's go to a ball game!" and "Let's go to our favorite restaurant!"

Ads breaking Jan. 11 will also be tagged to show Jackson Hewitt's affiliation with Walmart. Earlier this month, Jackson Hewitt announced it was expanding its in-store footprint at the retailer to 1,800-1,900, versus the previous estimate of 1,500-1,750. Dowd said the Walmart association dovetailed neatly with Jackson Hewitt's demographic target: "Main Street Americans."

Dowd declined to say what Jackson Hewitt planned to spend on the campaign. The company spent $25 million on measured media through October of this year, per the Nielsen Co.