Red tape, administrative hurdles, endless paperwork. Aaarghh!! for most people, just the thought of finance admin is enough to induce a scream. In Italy, VAT registration and management is a notoriously stressful process for small businesses and individuals alike. But a humorous new campaign by DUDE for finance platform, Fiscozen, shows that with the right app, a more Zen-like approach is possible.
What the VAT? takes an unusually and entertainingly light-hearted approach to a serious matter, illustrating how Fiscozen soothes anxieties around the ‘Partita IVA’ (a tax code required by self-employed businesses and individuals) by streamlining the process, through its simple-to-use app.
Enrico Mattiazzi, CEO & co-founder, Fiscozen commented, “Opening a VAT number is a big step that often brings doubts and uncertainties. We chose to tell this story with humor, with a slap (a real one!) that wakes the protagonist from the stress. Because in the end, when bureaucracy is no longer an obstacle, only the freedom to focus on what truly matters remains. This campaign is a natural step for us: we are supporting over 40,000 professionals in managing their VAT numbers, and it’s time to bring our message to an even larger audience. Our goal is to change the way 3 million people experience their VAT numbers. Investing in this integrated campaign means reaffirming this mission, challenging stereotypes, and showing that managing it can really be simple.”
Livio Basoli, CCO & Partner, DUDE added, “Guiding a brand through its first ‘debut’ in communication is both a great responsibility and an undeniable opportunity. Doing so with a guy who screams for almost 20 seconds is also a bit of madness, for which we are grateful to Fiscozen for doing it with us.”
Spanning TV, online, social and radio elements, What the VAT? is set to run in Italy until the end of 2025.
Credits
Agency: Dude Milano
Chief Creative Officer & Partner: Livio Basoli, Lorenzo Picchiotti
Senior Art Director: Antonio Gambino
Copywriter: Alessandro Magnani
Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer: Lorenzo Foffani
Senior Strategic Planner: Grazia Zucchiatti
Business Director: Elena Panza
Account Directors: Julie De Biolley, Ilaria Belcastro
Account Manager: Antonia Martone
Junior Account: Maddalena Zoli
Integrated Production Director: Matteo Pecorari
Head of Physical Production: Simone Raddi
Production Coordinator: Francesca Di Donna
Producer: Irene Taverna
Junior Producer: Luca Murru
Post Production Director: Seba Morando
Senior Post Producer: Miriam Ottina
Senior Film Editor: Niccolò Gobbi
Director: Alice Fassi
DOP: Tommaso Terigi
1st AD: Marcello Calvesi
Colour Grading: Orash Rahnema
Sound Design & Mix: The Log
VFX Artist – Riccardo Stasi
Client: Fiscozen
CEO & Co-founder: Enrico Mattiazzi
Co-founder: Vito Lomele
Head of Marketing: Riccardo Zilli
