Business and personal finance software company Intuit has "struck a deal to make its TurboTax Live product the presenting sponsor of the AFC and NFC championship games played on Jan. 20," the first time the NFL has "inked a sponsor for both games," according to E.J. Schultz of AD AGE. Intuit on Friday also formally announced it has become the NFL's "official sponsor for financial and accounting software, as well as tax-preparation services." THE DAILY first reported the move last month. The NFL "did not previously have a sponsor in the category." Meanwhile, TurboTax will "run a Super Bowl ad for the sixth straight year." The brand last year "ran two ads in the game as part of a campaign that attempted to quell fears about tax preparation by making normally scary things, like spooky attic noises, not so scary." Intuit during Super Bowl LII also ran its "first spot for the corporate brand, a Pixar-style commercial featuring a new character, the Intuit Giant." A source said that Intuit does "not plan to return to the big game promoting the corporate brand" in '19. Including TV ad buys, Intuit's NFL investment is "expected to total" more than $15M annually (ADAGE.com, 1/4).
