H&R Block Software Packaging
These days, most folks do their taxes online. But you’d be surprised how many people still walk into brick and mortar stores to buy physical copies of tax software. As creative lead on the H&R Block account, I was responsible for directing the team designing and producing H&R Block’s software packaging and in-store displays. With five core products, retailer-exclusive SKUs and a lot of legal copy, it was a massive undertaking every year.
Packaging exterior spread. To be honest, I don’t know why this image isn’t aligning with the one next to it on desktop, and it’s driving me crazy. This is why I’m a copywriter, not a developer.
Packaging interior spread.
In-Store Displays
In-store displays for Staples and Office Depot, respectively. We designed and produced around half a dozen other unique displays for different retailers.
Tax Pro Go
This was a tricky one. H&R Block had rolled out a new, remote tax prep service called Tax Pro Go. With it, customers who didn’t want to do their own taxes could get matched with a certified tax professional online. All they had to do was upload their W-2 and other documents, and their tax pro would do the rest. It was a good idea.
The trick was that H&R Block wanted to sell this online-only service as a boxed product in Walmart… right next to the (much less expensive) DIY tax software shown above. As a result, my team was challenged with designing packaging that would:
Visually differentiate Tax Pro Go from H&R Block’s DIY tax software offerings
Clearly communicate you were getting your taxes prepared by a certified professional
Justify the cost of the product ($100 vs. software that ranged from roughly $20 to $65)
To make Tax Pro Go stand out at shelf, we went with a minimalist aesthetic and compact form factor. This helped distinguish it from the more colorful DIY tax software. We also put an image of a real H&R Block tax pro on the cover to reinforce the idea you’d be matched with a qualified tax expert. Finally, we printed the online access code on the back of a card we placed behind a window, so customers could see the physical “product” they were buying.
To show the breadth of H&R Block’s tax pros, we did a photo shoot with nine actual H&R Block professionals from around the country. (Well, more like from around the Midwest.) That way, instead of having one face to represent this new offering, we had nine friendly faces encouraging you to pick up a box.
And Much, Much More…
A few paragraphs and a handful of pictures really can’t capture the scope of what my team accomplished. We also ran an incredibly sophisticated direct-to-consumer sales program, as well as designed and developed a custom online storefront and software unlocker. Ask me about it sometime, but only if you want to have a really long conversation about the exciting world of tax prep software marketing.