The Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs is out to enhance the image of the profession with a series of humorous videos that aim to prove accountants are not boring.

The first of the four videos mimics the well-known anti-drug public service announcement from the 1980s, “I Learned it by Watching You.” The second is a take-off on Bigfoot documentaries (click on video image below). The new campaign tries to push past the public’s typical view of the CPA profession and, through humor, point consumers to excellent online financial resources.

“Many CPAs will tell you that our profession is typically viewed as technical and serious,” said Leon Dutkiewicz, chair of PICPA’s CPA Image Enhancement Committee. “We wanted consumers to know that we’re also creative and engaging.”

PICPA will use its membership of more than 19,000 CPAs across Pennsylvania to start spreading the videos to their friends, family, and clients. Some firms have even included the videos in their company newsletters.

Each video leads consumers to the Ineedacpa.org page on PICPA’s site. The site has many free resources, including advice for tax season, financial planning, and financial literacy for children. Banner ads, another piece of the image campaign, will appear on targeted Web sites all over the state promoting the PICPA site’s resources through April 18.