TurboTax's Creepy-Cute Horror Ads Take Weird Turns Halfway Through

While Wieden + Kennedy is rethinking DTF for OkCupid, the agency's new campaign for TurboTax is more WTF. The Intuit-owned tax software brand has rolled out four spots, including one for the Hispanic market, featuring creepy horror scenarios which emphasize that not everything—taxes, for example—is as scary as it seems. The campaign is called "There's Nothing To Be Afraid Of," and is one of two new TurboTax campaigns launching this month. We begin with a :60 called "Closet," in which a woman cowers in her home from an attacker, who turns out to be more diminutive than we had first assumed. His next moves, though, are disturbing enough that maybe the woman was right to flee to fear. [kickout id="1"] Two :30s extend the theme into an attic and the woods, respectively, featuring a ghost and a monster who explain—after a creepy opening scene—that things aren't as frightening as they seem. "The Noise in the Attic" is especially fun, perhaps the best of the series. [kickout id="2"] [kickout id="3"] A fourth spot, in Spanish, explores the legend of the Chupacabra, a mysterious creature that supposedly attacks and drinks the blood of livestock, especially goats. The legend is particularly resonant in Puerto Rico. [kickout id="4"] Two more spots are expected to break later this month as part of the "There's Nothing To Be Afraid Of" campaign. The new spots follow a similar execution released a year ago at this time, which starred Kathy Bates as a homeowner who asks TurboTax whether she can claim as dependents a bunch of freaky ghost children who are living in the house she just bought. See that spot below. [kickout id="5"] Horror has been a fruitful genre for advertisers lately, including the wonderful horror shorts that Mars candy brands did with Fox this past Halloween. Meanwhile, TurboTax is also preparing to launch a second campaign, also via W+K, themed "Hey, At Least Your Taxes Are Free." Comedic spots breaking this weekend show the bright side of situations that don't quite go as intended, suggesting there's a silver lining to every situation. The ads will highlight TurboTax Absolute Zero, the nation's first and highest-rated free tax software. "We have been on a multi-year mission to dispel fear and uncertainty that causes people to doubt they can prepare their own tax return," said Greg Johnson, svp of marketing for Intuit's TurboTax business. "As we continue to instill confidence in consumers, now more than ever before, TurboTax can serve a broad range of taxpayers. That's why this year we are out with multiple campaigns highlighting different products and offerings that reach Americans at a variety of life stages and tax complexities." The 2018 campaign was created in partnership with multicultural agency Gallegos United. CREDITS Client: TurboTax Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland Creative Directors: Micah Walker, Tim Roan Copywriter: Bertie Scrase Art Director: Christen Brestrup Integrated Production Brand Production Lead: Robert Saxon Creative Manager: Amy Streger Broadcast Producer: Alexei Vanmourik Art Producer: Grace Petrenka Business Affairs Manager: Alicia Willet Design Designer: Alex Sanchez W+K Studios Stills Photographers: Kyle Pero, Saskia Thomson Stills Photography Digital Techs: Amy Corcoran, Lilly Archer Retouching: Kyle Pero, Saskia Thomson, Amy Corcoran, Lilly Archer Motion Designer: Jeff Ackley, Adam Sirkin, Oliver Rokoff Motion Producer: Dennis Samatulski Account Account Team: Courtney Nelson, Corey Woodson, Alex Fitch Production Company: Reset Director: Gary Freedman Executive Producer: Deannie O’Neil Line Producer: Pete Vitale Director of Photography: Hoyte Van Hoytema Editorial Company: Cartel Editor: Andy McGraw (Attic + Closet) + Chris Catanach (Chupacabra + Woods) Assistant Editor: Grant Hall Post Producer: Greer Bratschie Post Executive Producer: Lauren Bleiweiss Music + Sound Design Company: Walker Executive Producers: Stephanie Pigott, Sara Matarazzo Mix: Company Lime: Mixer / Sound Designer: Rohan Young Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan VFX Company:: Kevin VFX Supervisor: : Theo Maniatis CG Supervisor: : Mike Dalzell VFX Producer: : Jami Schakel VFX Coordinator: : Tina Dion Executive Creative Director/Partner: Tim Davies Senior Executive Producer/Partner: Sue Troyan CG Artists: Delano Athias Greg Mawicke Kris Kelly Matthew Longwell Matthew Connolly Caleb Ollivant Carl Harders Kevin Gillen Jarrod Avalos Matthew Merkovich Igor Stefanovic Bryan Repka Tamara Paterson Andrea Paolino Compositors: Robert Murdock Chris Payne Steve Gibbons Ed Black Anthony Petitti Trent Shumway Susanne Scharping Pilon Lectez Anthony Barcelo Kevin Jones Graziella Gandolfi Design/Graphics: Adam Levine Concept Art: Nathan McKenna Jim Carson Color Company: MPC London Artist: Jean-Clement Soret Executive Producer: Ellora Chowdhury Illustrations Artist: Serge Seidlitz

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TurboTax's Creepy-Cute Horror Ads Take Weird Turns Halfway Through

But don't be scared, says W+K campaign

Tim Nudd

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