Targeting a Demographic in a Bad Way

This tax season, instead of introducing a fancy new app or offering an incentive, H&R Block decided to target a younger demographic by making fun of hipsters. The campaign ads "bad at taxes" to the list of traits belonging to the hipster stereotype and takes small jabs at anyone with thickrimmed glasses, a beanie, and a scarf.

Some of the ads are actually pretty funny, but does H&R Block really think that insulting the easiest pop culture target of the last five years is going to convince younger people to do their taxes with them? The ads don't offer any benefit, service, or incentive. The only call to action is a hashtag and an invitation to share the videos online. You can almost picture the H&R Block executive meeting with the ad firm asking them to "go viral" with the ad. 

The result is a confusing mixed bag of advertising that features sports broadcaster Kenny Mayne as the "pants wearer"in opposition of the hipsters. One ad brings to mind the uber popular AT&T commercials featuring adorable and hilarious children, except they replaced the adorable and hilarious children with hipsters and the comedian with a sports broadcaster.

Also, just in case making fun of hipsters didn't speak to the youth demographic they wrote a rap song. Nothing says tax season, like a hipster rap.