DSM Pressure From PA PUCO Drives PECO To Hunt Energy Ogres - Should NEO Follow?

I received a press release today for a demand side management program in Philadelphia that has promise here - they are attacking "energy ogres" in a fun and clever way that their research says will have a greater impact with customers than doom-and-gloom environmental scare tactics - a "no finger waving" approach to reducing consumer energy demand and so pollution. I thought I'd share the entire release and their promotional videos here to get feedback from realNEO (it seems the global energy industry watches us, here), and to plant this strategy as a potential best practice for Ohio to explore - below is the contact information if our PUCO wants to learn more... I've asked for updates on the success of this program and will keep this community posted.

Power Co. Makes Energy Ogres its Brand Campaign.

Philadelphia–Phila. power company PECO, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp. (NYSE: EXC), will turn over its entire 2010 brand advertising budget to a “Smart Ideas” campaign, encouraging consumers to upgrade their energy-wasting, money-wasting, old appliances and windows, dubbed “ogres.” The campaign, by Tierney, Phila., breaks this month.

A typical “Smart Ideas” scenario might involve the homeowner who purchases a new refrigerator. Instead of having to pay out up to $150/year in energy costs to move his old fridge to the basement, as a spare for ice cream or beer, PECO will pick it up for free, recycle its parts, and pay the homeowner $35, plus a $75 rebate on a new, efficient model.

In seven :30 and :15 TV spots, dishwasher, refrigerator, window and lightbullb ogres torment the homeowners on whose electricity they feed. A voiceover then describes the rebates, discounts, and incentives that PECO offers instead. Each spot closes with the URL peco.com/SmartIdeas [1] , and the tag: “PECO. We put our energy into saving you money.”

The bad guy appliances are played by puppeteers, and intended as more cartoony than horrific. Research showed that even small money savings were more effective at motivating homeowners to cut usage than were the dire environmental consequences of energy waste. The commercials aim to not come off as “preachy,” or, as Tierney exhorted internally: “No finger-wagging.”

The TV advertising runs on prime time and in news slots on 5 broadcast and 10 cable networks. More ogre advertising runs on online news and media sites, on Top 10 Philly radio stations (where the appliances sound like a good ol’ boy, a harping mother-in-law, a Frenchman and a Transylvanian), and out-of-home, on 250 billboard and bus shelter units.

Driving PECO’s effort to reduce the energy its customers buy is a state mandated 3% cut in total kilowatt hours, by 2013. And, before next year’s expiration of a 2001 rate freeze, the company wants to demonstrate an effort to help consumers control costs.

Creative was led by Tierney executive creative director Patrick Hardy. The director was Michael Wilde of Phasmatrope, Haverford, Pa. Puppets are by one-time Muppet-maker Zach Buchman of Furry Puppet Studio, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Tierney is a full-service advertising and public relations agency, part of the global Interpublic network. www.hellotierney.com [2]

Links to related advertisements:

http://hellotierney.com/_clients/PECO/TV/peco_tv_dishwasher.html [3]
http://hellotierney.com/_clients/PECO/TV/peco_tv_fridge.html [4]
http://hellotierney.com/_clients/PECO/TV/peco_tv_lightbulb.html [5]
http://hellotierney.com/_clients/PECO/TV/peco_tv_window.html [6]

Campaign Fact Sheet

Client:             
PECO, Philadelphia, div. Exelon Corp. (NYSE: EXC)

Agency:            
Tierney, Philadelphia

Program:            
PECO Smart Ideas
Rebates, discounts, and incentives for trading in old appliances.
Entire 2010 “brand” budget allocated to this campaign.

TV:                
Seven :30s and :15s.
Dishwasher, fridge, window and lightbulb “ogres.”
Prime time and news slots. 5 broadcast, 10 cable networks.

Online:            
Three rich media “ogre” banners on local news/media sites.     

Radio:                
Four :30s.
Good ol’ boy dishwasher, Frenchified window, Transylvanian lightbulb, mean mother-in-law fridge.
Top 10 Philly stations.

Outdoor:            
Five “ogre” billboards (bulletin and extension) and bus shelters.
Major thoroughfares. 250 units.

Goal:                
Reduce Philadelphia area homeowners’ energy usage.

Why?                
State mandated 3% reduction in kilowatt hours, by 2013.
Show effort to help consumers cut costs, before next year’s expiration of 2001 rate freeze.

Typical rebate scenario:    
Homeowner buys a new, efficient refrigerator and moves the old to the basement, as a spare for ice cream or beer. Energy costs for that spare can be up to $150/year. As an alternative, PECO will pick it up for free, recycle its parts, and pay homeowner $35. Plus rebate $75 towards the new.

Tierney creative concept:   
“No finger-wagging.”
PECO research shows that $ savings, even small, are a more effective motivator than dire environmental concerns. Compared to scary/evil bad-guy appliances, cartoony puppet versions were less “preachy.”

ECD: Patrick Hardy

Dir./Prod. Co.: Michael Wilde/Phasmatrope, Haverford, Pa.            

Breaks:                
April

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Dan Barron
Conroy Barron Public Relations
315 Riverside, 13 B
New York, NY  10025
db [at] conroybarronpr [dot] com/">db [at] conroybarronpr [dot] com
o 646/356-7651
c 646/825-0252  
  212/865-3324