Moira Stuart is the fresh new face of HMRC tax ads

Former BBC newsreader Moira Stuart will next week address television
audiences as the fresh new face of HM Revenue and Customs, as part of its
self-assessment advertising campaign.

Stuart takes over from BBC presenter Adam Hart-Davis, who admitted earlier
this year that he expected to be replaced by a ‘new and more beautiful face’.

Stuart will be encouraging tax payers to file their returns online and on
time.

HMRC head of marketing Simon Vessey said it was great news that Stuart would
front the campaign.

‘She’s a household name that people naturally tune in to and trust,’ said
HMRC head of marketing Simon Vessey.

Hart-Davis’ line during his stint was that ‘tax doesn’t have to be taxing’
but he told Radio Five Live in an interview earlier this year that he believed
the system was too complex, especially for the self-employed, BBC.com reported.

He further described VAT as ‘absurdly complicated’ but said he was supportive
of the tax system and considered fronting the campaign ‘huge fun’.

The new campaign will include billboards, posters, in the press and adverts
online focusing on the new deadlines of 31 October for paper tax returns and 31
January for online tax returns.

Further reading:

Taxman embarks on ad blitz