VAT's the Matter? We can Help, Says Fiscozen in Humorous new Campaign

Mar. 18, 2025

Red tape, administrative hurdles, endless paperwork - 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 for finance platform Fiscozen shows that with the right app, a more Zen-like approach is possible. 

Created by independent creative agency DUDE, What the VAT? takes an unusually lighthearted 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 the simple-to-use app, users can find an accountant, register for a VAT number and receive tailored advice.   

Launching today (18 March 2025), the campaign centres on a film featuring a young freelancer so stressed out by the VAT registration process that the mere mention of it provokes an endless, Munch-esque scream. Comically sustained through various scenes - from the ski slopes to a swimming pool to the dentist - the eternal scream only stops when a friend steps (or rather slaps) in to introduce a more serene alternative: Fiscozen. 

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.