Campaign Overview
The Making Tax Digital campaign for QuickBooks highlighted how small business owners often find the policy confusing, time-consuming, and overwhelming. From the first broadcast, interviews with The Apprentice’s Linda Plant focused on practical steps business owners could take to streamline tax administration, turning complex policy into a clear, compelling story for journalists. The campaign achieved broad national and regional broadcast coverage, positioning QuickBooks as a trusted SME advocate. It also demonstrated how expert spokespeople and clear messaging can amplify understanding and engagement, helping audiences see why the campaign mattered. The campaign approach made it simple for journalists to frame stories with actionable advice, boosting story pickup across multiple regions and demographics.
Strong Results in Context
This Making Tax Digital campaign generated substantial national and regional attention:
- Delivered 621 broadcast opportunities, reaching over 234 million people
- Coverage spanned national and regional radio across the UK, including key BBC stations
- Extended reach via radio news wire distribution to regional outlets
- Interviews maintained consistent messaging, reinforcing QuickBooks as an SME advocate
- Linda Plant’s presence offered credibility and a recognisable media-facing personality
Audience Insight
Research incorporated into the campaign revealed:
- Over half of small business owners identified time savings as a key motivator
- 55% said Making Tax Digital eased January workload pressures
- 33% of UK adults run a business, demonstrating broad audience relevance
- 46% had additional income last year, highlighting importance for growing SMEs
The Challenge
This campaign was not straightforward; the team overcame several structural obstacles:
- Making Tax Digital is widely perceived as complex and low-news value
- Journalists require relatable stories, not policy text, to justify coverage
- Coordinating national and regional broadcast schedules required careful planning
- Ensuring the spokesperson delivered complex points clearly without oversimplifying required preparation and agile messaging
- Balancing practical advice for SMEs with the need to generate media interest added an extra layer of complexity
