Voices

AICPA Launches Ad Campaign for CPAs

The American Institute of CPAs has begun promoting the benefits of the CPA credential in new advertising and marketing campaigns.

The ad campaign, centered around a public service site called 360 degrees of taxes, shows CPAs in action settings similar to astronauts, mountain climbers and members of the Coast Guard. They feature the tagline, “Your CPA. Few prepare as rigorously,” followed by, “They are the commandos of finance. The best of the best. CPAs have more experience, a larger skill set, and a grater breadth of knowledge. So don’t trust your taxes to just anyone. Go with a supremely trained professional. A CPA.”

In conjunction with the ad campaign, the AICPA has also put together an online marketing toolkit that CPAs can use to promote their own practices, and educate the business community and the general public about CPA services. Among the tools offered are print ads, client brochures, speeches and PowerPoint presentations, social media marketing tips, and new tax season resources.

One reason for the new marketing and ad campaigns, according to the Journal of Accountancy, is that the AICPA is worried that the IRS’ new regulation of tax preparers might create some confusion in the general public.

The AICPA has also been busy on another front. As it pushes for the creation of a separate standards board for private company accounting rules, and awaits a final report from the Blue Ribbon Panel on Standard Setting for Private Companies, it has launched a new Web page on its own site discussing private company financial reporting.

The site includes videos from AICPA president and CEO Barry Melancon, and AICPA chairman Paul Stahlin, who is the regional president of Skylands Community Bank, in Somerville, N.J. You can check out the videos at www.aicpa.org/privateGAAP.

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