Virginia Department of Taxation
Case Study: Virginia Department of Taxation
Project: Get Square VA
Challenge:
Pulsar was hired by the Virginia Department of Taxation (TAX) to provide marketing and advertising services to persuade delinquent individual and corporate taxpayers to come forward and pay their back taxes during a 60-day amnesty period established by the Virginia General Assembly.
Background:
During Virginia’s tax amnesty program, half of the interest and all of the penalties accrued would be waived for delinquent taxpayers who paid what they owed before the December 5 deadline. Taxpayers who failed to take advantage of the amnesty program during the two-month period would automatically receive a 20 percent penalty added to existing bills.
While Virginia and other states had held successful tax amnesty programs in the past, the timing of this program was seen as challenging because the payment period fell just before the holidays – and during one of the worst economic downturns in our nation’s history. We were asking Virginians, many of whom may have been out of work, to pay outstanding bills that the Department of Taxation hoped would total $48 million.
Solutions:
While previous tax amnesty campaigns in Virginia and other states used a somewhat threatening “Big Brother” approach in their messaging and advertising, Pulsar recommended that this campaign take a more aspirational approach. Using the idea that it feels good to know you no longer owe money to the state, Pulsar designed a comprehensive marketing, public relations and advertising campaign based on “people with giant square smiley face heads.” In the ads, taxpayers are shown how happy, calm and at peace with the world they can feel if they “get square” on their back taxes.
In addition to creating integrated outdoor, radio, television, web banner and Search Engine Marketing ads, the agency also launched a Tax Amnesty website – GetSquareVA.com – as well as social marketing tools and public relations strategies all focusing on the win-win aspects of paying the taxes you owe.
Results:
Pulsar conducted a wide-ranging marketing, public relations and advertising campaign that came in under budget, and helped TAX collect over $103 million for Virginia state coffers – more than doubling their goal of $48 million.
“The VA Tax Amnesty campaign was one of the most successful the agency has had to date. The friendlier, lighter approach was well received and the campaign’s “Get Square” theme provided strong direction and continuity for all aspects of the project, both internally and to the public. At all times, and often on very short notice, Pulsar’s creative and organizational talents helped us through unfamiliar territory, and their experience with both government and private campaigns were responsible for a large part of the campaign’s success.”
— Craig Evans, Project Manager, Virginia Tax Amnesty
