H&R Block

Hip to be square

Ushering in a new era for an industry legend

Challenge

The global leader in tax prep services, H&R Block has long been an iconic brand. It was the first to respond to seismic changes in the tax landscape, and its square logo is instantly recognizable across the US. But while the company had clearly defined its core customer, purpose and promise, its overall corporate brand identity felt stale and lacked consistency—a problem that also extended to its recruitment and employer communications. With H&R Block expanding its digital offerings to bring added choice and convenience to clients, the time was ripe for a brand facelift to support its next stage of growth.

Insight

While H&R Block was synonymous with in-person tax prep, it had evolved over time to serve people on their own terms. The new brand would need to convey modern expertise, while finding new ways to showcase the company’s deep ties to the community. By leaning into H&R Block’s curious and creative culture, and embracing its passion for making a difference, we could appeal to customers, associates and prospects who were looking for a trusted, empathetic and forward-thinking business.

Answer

We created a new verbal and visual identity to tell the company’s story using confident, thoughtful and vibrant imagery and language. This brand identity boldly conveys H&R Block’s commitment to providing help and inspiring confidence in clients and communities everywhere. To refresh recruitment and employer communications, we developed an employee value proposition (EVP) based on the idea of real people solving real problems—a nod to the company’s humanity. We then infused the brand identity and EVP into a brand manifesto, audience messaging and associate touchpoints to better attract and retain the best talent for H&R Block’s next chapter.

To emphasize H&R Block’s personal touch, we gave tax pros the hero treatment with bright portraiture that lets their personalities shine through. For digital experiences, a slight tweak of the brand’s signature green enhances the user experience and makes the color truly pop.
H&R Block’s logo became the foundation for the new visual identity, which is rooted in the idea of getting clients “squared away.” Everything from the typography to the photography to the color palette makes the brand feel accessible and playful, yet precise—a reflection of the brand’s promise to deliver unique and better experiences where expertise meets care.

To better understand the relationship between associates and the H&R Block brand, we mapped out the journey for corporate and seasonal hires across five phases. We then developed sample touchpoints to guide internal teams in creating bold, personalized experiences that reflect a unified brand and culture, and meet the needs of prospects at every step.