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Judge Nixes Block Bid to Ban Intuit Ads

Dan Maurer, IntuitA federal court has refused to grant a preliminary injunction that would halt airing of some Intuit television ads. The decision was issued by the U.S. District Court for Western Missouri regarding the action filed by H&R Block. The tax services chain alleged unlawful misuse of the H&R Block brand and trademark along with unfair disparagement of its tax professionals in TurboTax ads.

The two parties have periodically battled over advertising during tax seasons and this year's face off centered on Intuit ads that said Block's often hired professionals with no experience.

 

An Intuit press release issued in response to the ruling relayed the court ruling as stating that despite the fact Block offers training for preparers  "training is not the same thing as experience" and continued that it was not false or misleading "to draw consumers' attention to the true statement that certain consumers who go to major tax stores could have their taxes prepared by someone who has no prior work experience preparing taxes."

One Intuit TV ad featured a couple whose plumber informs them that he had prepared their taxes at a store. Intuit, which started offering advice from professionals last year, says it hires only CPS, Enrolled Agents and tax attorneys to assist TurboTax customers. "This stands in sharp contrast to the prior tax experience of some of those who major tax stores advertise for and hire,"  Dan Maurer, general manager and senior vice president of Intuit's Consumer Tax Group, said in a prepared statement.

Block issued a press release that lamented the decision and took the opportunity to say it would continue to stand up for its tax professionals. Robert Turtledove, Block's chief marketing officer, also used the prepared statement to promote his company's Second Look program through which it offers a free review of returns prepared via TurboTax.

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