• by Fern Siegel , February 14, 2024

H&R Block has created a tax campaign – with a reality show twist.

The new branded content ad campaign, called "Responsibility Island," is geared to Gen Zs.

All four 10-minute episodes, from creative shop Piro, will premiere on Feb. 16 on Roku, YouTube and H&R Block’s site. During the writers' strike, the show gave guild members a chance to pivot to ad campaigns. "Responsibility Island" creators and writers boast various show credits, including "Friends," "The King of Queens" and "2 Broke Girls." 

The scripted reality TV parody features a group of young adults on a tropical island who care only for parties and sex. They signed up for a steamy dating fest. But their possible romantic adventures turn out to be something unexpected: a quest for financial responsibility. If they want to leave the island, they have to file their own taxes!

Daniel Rosenberg, co-founder of Piro, told Agency Daily: "This is a generation that tends to avoid advertising, so it's critical to create content that is engaging and prioritizes entertainment value." He called the work "entertainment with organically integrated strategy."

Geared to first-time filers, the episodes avoid direct references to H&R Block, but manages to plug the brand's products.

“This intentionally unlikely pairing of reality TV and taxes is a first of its kind for the tax industry,” said Rosenberg. “H&R Block leaned into an entertainment genre that 77% of Gen Z consume weekly, and 93% say they want to see brands do something new and unique rather than just serve them ads."

Earlier this year, H&R Block debuted its latest integrated Tax Season brand campaign, It’s Better With Block.

Piro's client roster includes Butterfingers, Chipolte, Estée Lauder and Baby Einstein.