UK's Taxman Calls In Top Advertising Agency In 'Customer Service Drive'

by Amanda Banks, Tax-news.com, London

18 June 2001

In an attempt to persuade the UK taxpayer that it isn't so bad after all, the Inland Revenue has appointed top advertising agency M&C Saatchi as its leading strategic advertising agency to work alongside branding and design consultants, Corporate Edge.

With the remit of turning the Inland Revenue into the UK's Mr Nice Guy, it appears that the department is expecting M&C Saatchi to turn miracles - a flattering thought indeed for Britain's 5th largest advertising agency - and it's probably going to need all the help it can get in what the Inland Revenue is calling its 'customer service drive'. Moray MacLennan, Chief Executive Officer of M&C Saatchi said: 'Working together with Corporate Edge we are going to create a strategy within which the Revenue's advertising will take place. Important though advertising is this is about much more than that. The Revenue is committed to fundamentally changing public perceptions about what it does and what it delivers. The Revenue sees its future as an organisation that enables as well as regulates. Our challenge is to help them make this a reality. It's a challenge we are delighted to accept.'

As part of Ian Schoolar's, the recently-appointed Director of Marketing and Communications, decision to update the departments image, beloved Hector (the former tax inspector icon of the Inland Revenue) was retired earlier this year to make way for a more dynamic form of representation. An Inland Revenue spokesman has said: 'Hector was only ever brought in as the face of self-assessment, but he was so successful that he came to represent the whole department. We pensioned him off.' Referring to the Chancellor, Gordon Brown's, tax reforms many of the department's functions have changed, he added: 'We're not just a department collecting tax. The tax credit is a fundamental change for us; we are giving out money as well as taking it.'

In a statement released by the Inland Revenue, Mr Schoolar explained: 'This is about ensuring that everything we do is about delivering high quality public service. The way we relate to customers and the way we communicate with our staff will be re-appraised.'

He added: 'Everything will be looked at from our letters and our leaflets to the way we answer the phone. Perception of the Revenue should relate to the actual job it now does, that has changed over recent years and now includes many new factors, including paying tax credits.'

Nick Jones, Director at Corporate Edge said: 'We will be looking at how the public and employees see the range
and nature of the Revenue's services. Our role is to work with M&C Saatchi to construct a brand within which the Revenue's customer and staff communications take place. The Revenue wants to enable its customers to get it right first time and that means clear, consistent well presented information.'

There is no doubt that the Inland Revenue's image needs freshening-up but will the average UK taxpayer really think, hey I don't mind handing over my hard earned cash because the Inland Revenue has such a nice image (and corporate identity) these days?

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