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H&R Block doubles down on social marketing amid modernization push | Marketing Dive Skip to main content CONTINUE TO SITE ➞ Don't miss tomorrow's marketing industry news Let Marketing Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. Daily Dive M-F Mobile Weekly Every Thursday Agencies Weekly Every Monday By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . You can unsubscribe at anytime. Search An article from Dive Brief H&R Block doubles down on social marketing amid modernization push As it tries to shed an image largely tied to tax season, the firm is uniting its social creative and media duties under agency VaynerMedia. Published Aug. 26, 2025 Peter Adams Senior Reporter post share post print email license NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 18: A woman walks past an H&R Block office on Tax Day, April 18, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Tax returns in the United States are due to the government today. Drew Angerer via Getty Images Dive Brief: H&R Block is uniting its social creative and media duties under one roof through an expanded relationship with agency VaynerMedia, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The tax-preparation firm is trying to push past solely being associated with tax season to position itself as a provider of trusted financial advice year-round. It is also trying to account for changes in consumer behavior while streamlining marketing decision-making. The initiative is spearheaded by H&R Block Chief Marketing and Experience Officer Jill Cress, who is applying a “fail fast, learn fast” ethos that runs counter to traditional tax-season marketing. Brands in a number of categories are exploring more social-first tactics to engage Gen Z and account for a decline in traditional media. Dive Insight: Social-first marketing continues to pick up steam as legacy brands race to modernize their approach. Social ad spending has climbed steadily over time, but the H&R Block news is the latest signal that more organizations — including those in conventionally staid categories — are enacting bolder moves to orient their strategy around a channel that is essential for connecting with younger consumers and requires an always-on mindset compared to traditional ad campaigns. For 70-year-old H&R Block, the deeper relationship with VaynerMedia comes as the firm tries to shed an image largely tied to tax season, which only occupies a few months of the year. The brand hopes VaynerMedia can help it push the envelope and pivot in real time to capture relevant discussions, an embrace of risk in a typically conservative field. The partnership also aims to wed H&R’s brand-building initiatives closer to performance marketing. “Bringing social creative and media together under one partner isn’t just operationally efficient, it’s a competitive advantage,” said Cress in a statement. “VaynerMedia’s integrated approach fuels agility, sharpens our cultural edge, and ensures we’re building stronger connections with more customers, all year long by integrating H&R Block into daily interactions.” H&R Block in recent years has worked to evolve its marketing and customer service, tapping into TikTok content, generative artificial intelligence and subcultures like gaming. In February, the company launched tax-themed virtual experiences in Roblox , an online game popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. The spaces were limited to users 18 and older. ​ The news notches another win for VaynerMedia, which was an early mover in the social-first agency space. PepsiCo earlier this year deepened its collaboration with the shop, aligning VaynerMedia closer to its in-house agency to support beverages like Pepsi and Mountain Dew with their socially led marketing. VaynerMedia in March was also named social agency of record for JCPenney , another legacy brand vying to recapture its edge. Recommended Reading PepsiCo taps VaynerMedia to evolve in-house agency model By Peter Adams • June 16, 2025 JCPenney embraces social-first marketing with VaynerMedia hire By Peter Adams • March 25, 2025 purchase licensing rights Filed Under: Brand Strategy, Social Media, Agencies Marketing Dive news delivered to your inbox Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Email: Select Newsletter: Daily Dive M-F Select Newsletter: Mobile Weekly Every Thursday Select Newsletter: Agencies Weekly Every Monday Select user consent: By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . You can unsubscribe at anytime. Sign up A valid email address is required. Please select at least one newsletter. Editors' picks E.l.f. Cosmetics/Oberland Deep Dive Inclusive marketing ‘in paralysis’: How brands can reject the standstill Diverse representation continues to present a major opportunity for brands and could become even more of an expectation during the end-of-year period. By Jessica Hammers • Oct. 27, 2025 FG Trade Latin via Getty Images Deep Dive How legacy CPG brands can crack the social-first marketing code Ten-figure acquisitions, new agency experiments and organizational changes are underway, but the real key may be relinquishing a sense of control. By Peter Adams • Sept. 3, 2025 Marketing Dive news delivered to your inbox Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Email: Select Newsletter: Daily Dive M-F Select Newsletter: Mobile Weekly Every Thursday Select Newsletter: Agencies Weekly Every Monday Select user consent: By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . You can unsubscribe at anytime. Sign up A valid email address is required. Please select at least one newsletter. 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