Deloitte: 50 Years of VAT illustrated

VAT: Like it, loathe it or even fully understand it, it’s 50 years since it was introduced in the UK. To mark the occasion, Deloitte UK’s tax team hosted a networking event for its clients, alumni and staff at London’s prestigious Royal Exchange. 

The team wanted to deliver an event that was impactful, collaborative and would engage attendees in a creative and interactive way. Having worked with Scriberia many times over the years, they approached us to bring their vision of VATs' rich and often surprising history.

“The wall provided a focal point for the evening where guests could both learn and contribute. It was a great way for them to be actively involved and sparked a lot of conversations.”

Andrew Clarke, Director of UK Indirect Tax, Deloitte UK

Challenge

The team wanted to deliver an event that was impactful, collaborative and would engage attendees in a creative and interactive way. Having worked with Scriberia before, they approached us to bring their vision to life.

During the event, our team of scribes created an illustrated timeline of the past five decades, across six free standing boards - showcasing the key milestones, legislative changes, and press-worthy cases that have shaped VAT in the UK (think Jaffa cakes, pasties and Pringles).

Click on a thumbnail below to take a closer look at a historic milestone:

Outcome

The wall provided a highly effective way of capturing and documenting the journey of UK VAT - a subject not known for its simplicity. While some of the content had been discussed and chosen in advance, guests were encouraged to contribute their own ideas and highlights on the night. 

Andrew Clarke, Director of Indirect Tax, says, “The wall provided a focal point for the evening where guests could both learn and contribute. It was a great way for them to be actively involved and sparked a lot of conversations.” 

The timeline also incorporated Deloitte’s own key milestones within VAT - to help cement the company's position as a trusted advisor and expert in this field.

“We wanted a way to clearly illustrate to our clients and the wider public how we have evolved as an indirect tax practice since VAT was introduced into the UK. The timeline did that perfectly."

“We wanted a way to clearly illustrate to our clients and the wider public how we have evolved as an indirect tax practice since VAT was introduced into the UK. The timeline did that perfectly,” adds Andrew. 

Beyond the event, the timeline was digitised and turned into a valuable video asset to be used across their marketing channels, for staff engagement and, as more staff return to the office for work, the full-scale timeline will be proudly displayed in Deloitte’s offices.