HMRC urges Brits to 'Be On It' in renewed digital drive

HMRC is launching a renewed push to raise awareness of its digital channels and encourage customers to make use of online services for a range of simple tasks, instead of calling or writing to the department.

The first work, devised by Pablo and Unlimited, focuses on driving customers to download the free and secure HMRC app and “Be On It’ with their money and tax affairs.

Launching this week, the campaign will run across VOD, digital audio, DOOH, social, influencer and partnerships and is the first of a longer-term commitment from HMRC to encourage taxpayers to go digital.

It is part of a broader digital transformation programme, designed to help HMRC deliver on its vision of becoming a trusted, modern tax and customs service.

As well as improving customers’ experience of dealing with HMRC, the digital transformation programme will help to address one of the government’s biggest priorities: closing the tax gap – the gap between the amount of tax expected to be paid and the amount that is actually paid each year.

The UK tax gap is around £36bn, which while one of the lowest in the world, HMRC is committed to improving it.

The multichannel campaign, with the tagline ‘You’re On It’, showcases how managing money and tax in the HMRC app or online can be quicker and easier for customers – from finding your National Insurance number, making a Self Assessment payment to claiming and managing Child Benefit payments, or seeing what you are getting paid before it even hits your bank account. HMRC’s digital tools mean that people can self-serve, at the click or a swipe of a screen.

A key aim is raising awareness and encouraging downloads of the new HMRC app – with only 21% of taxpayers aware of it at present – despite being free, rated almost 5 stars on both Google and Apple app stores and in the top 10 free finance apps.

While the campaign is designed to reach all adults in the UK, HMRC’s priority audience is the digitally native 18- to 34-year-olds. This audience has embraced digital in most other areas of their lives to keep on top of things; banking, insurance, bills, even their credit score – however, when it comes to tax, there still seems to be a tendency to stick with the ‘old’ way of doing things like writing in or calling up HMRC.

With ‘You’re On It’, Pablo and Unlimited wanted to spotlight the benefit of switching to digital channels, showing that you cannot beat that feeling of being on top of things.

The work aims to demonstrate to customers that HMRC is here to support, and brings to life the idea that no matter what you’ve got going on, you can at least be ‘On It’ when it comes to your tax affairs if you get on the HMRC app.

Social and digital ads draw parallels between everyday situations in life where you might not be on top of things, in contrast to the feeling of ‘getting on it’ with your tax affairs using the HMRC app.

The centrepiece, a 30-second film, directed by Eoin Glaister from Stink, shows a young restaurant chef staying in control, thanks to the HMRC app (despite the ensuing chaos bubbling around him in the pizza kitchen).

The influencer campaign created by TMW Tomorrow includes @bricks.and.disorder, @elent_finance, and @cazza_time, who will show how easy it is to handle your money and tax affairs in the HMRC app. All of the creative assets are designed to be human and relatable – a far cry from what audiences will expect from the often formal and daunting world of numbers, information and tax codes.

Media planning and buying has been handled by MG OMD.

HMRC deputy director of strategic communications, campaigns and marketing Neil Martin said: “We want our customers to have quicker and easier interactions with HMRC. Our online services, like the HMRC app, are free to use, highly-rated and available 24/7. They can be used for a range of tasks, from claiming Child Benefit to checking your tax code.

“The goal of this campaign is to encourage customers to use these services by highlighting that there is nothing quite like the feeling of being ‘on it’ – including with your money and tax.”