I rarely pay attention to commercials about taxes. The very word taxes tenses my jaw just as it does many others who are self-employed. But a new H&R Block commercial featuring Willie Nelson actually made me smile. For one thing, it puts a celeb in the scariest spot you can be in as far as money goes—there’s been a big mistake and Nelson owes lots more money to Uncle Sam’s collectors. When he agrees to do a commercial for shaving cream, after dissing the idea at first, the fun begins. There’s a lot packed into this 31 second spot. Nelson comes off as a regular guy—he barely notices the sexy girl because the shaving cream he’s allegedly touting is making his face burn. A few muscle men in towels serve as great background props—that’s a nice touch because usually the background props are female. I wonder if the background males are there because the woman handles the gathering of tax info in most homes. I’ve said it often to my husband—we women don’t get as much eye candy as the guys do. 

By the time you’re at the end of the spot, you’re smiling and H&R Block has definitely imprinted its message. Nelson stands as a sort of Everyman—we’re all in the same boat on the tax deal. Even if you get a refund, you still have to cough up the paper and the data.

‘Everyman’ is a medieval morality play about death. When Death comes calling, no one really wants to go. Taxes are the same way whether you work for yourself or for someone else. These two lines from the play sum up the importance of April 15 and bring to mind the certainty of ‘death and taxes’ chestnut: For thou mayst say this is the day/That no man living may escape away. Not even Willie Nelson, the perfect Everyman for a message about a tax service for middle-class Americans who don’t need pricey accountants.

Note: Nelson has done other H& R Block commercials, but the shaving cream ad is my favorite. You can see that video at Ad Weekly.

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