Marketing Energy Efficiency: Experiential Marketing and Building an

Efficiency Conscience Community

MEEA Marketing Energy Efficiency Webinar

March 7, 2012

Presenting:

Drew Navolio – MEEA

Drew McCartt – Event Marketing Strategies

Kevin Duffy – ICF International

MEEA is a collaborative

network advancing

energy efficiency in the

Midwest to support

sustainable economic

development and

environmental

preservation.

MEEA’s Mission

Our Members Are…

Diverse stakeholders in energy efficiency

• Academic/Research Organizations

• Manufacturers/Retailers

• State and Local Governments

• Utilities (IOUs/Munis/Co-ops)

• Energy Service Firms/Consultants

• Nonprofit & Advocacy Organizations

• General Interest/Professionals

MEEA has more than 145 members

2012 Annual Meeting of

Membership

June 12th and 13th

Tuesday, June 12th – Member Reception at MEEA Office

Civic Opera Building, 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1301, Chicago, IL

Wednesday, June 13th – 2012 MEEA Annual Meeting

Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL

Registration, Hotel Information, and Agenda Available Soon

MEEA Policy Webinar: National Study on Cost

Effective Energy Savings of Appliance

Standards

Thursday March 29, 2012 from 1-2:15pm CDT

• The webinar will outline the soon to be released report on appliance

standards by ASAP and ACEEE.

• The report reviews 34 products, and the webinar will focus on three

areas: products appropriate for state standards, products where

state support is requested at the federal level, and products

currently covered by utility programs.

• There will be a regional look at the current and potential cost

effective savings from appliance standards, as well as an in-depth

look at specific natural gas-fired products that are relevant to

the Midwest: clothes washers, boilers, and furnaces.

• To register email jcollingsworth@mwalliance.org

or call (312)784-7247

Drew McCartt, Senior Vice President

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING &

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

#EEmktg

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Defining Experiential Marketing

• Agency Overview

• Exploring Experiential Approaches

• Events: Tools for reaching your audience

• Experiential Marketing for Energy Efficiency

• Case studies

• Q & A

DEFINING EXPERIENTIAL / EVENT MARKETING

• Face-to-face and brands-in-hands

• Live experience with a brand

• Event and staff driven

• Target audiences

• Interactive in nature

• Pre, during and post event

• Integrating ROI strategies

WHY EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING?

What we know…

• This strategy has been outpacing growth of

traditional marketing

• Vast majority of Fortune 500 companies

using it

• Allows true brand development and

exposure, including demos/sampling

• More and more tactics integrated now to

drive ROI

AGENCY OVERVIEW: EMS

• 31 years in the industry

• Total turn-key and full service agency

• Representing brands from multiple industries

• Specializing in outreach education and messaging

• In-house field staffing team

• Serving the utility industry for 12 years

• Proud MEEA Member

• Columbus, Ohio based – serving nationwide

Since 1981

EXPLORING EXPERIENTIAL APPROACHES

• Integrated sponsorship programs

• Booth displays

• Mobile marketing vehicles

• Street teams

EVENTS: TOOLS FOR REACHING YOUR AUDIENCE

A. Established events and venues – important factors

• Demographics and geography

• Reputation

• Attendance

• Space/amenities offered

• Time of year

• Cost

B. Stand alone ‘events’ at select venues

ENERGY EFFICIENCY EDUCATION AND MARKETING

A perfect match…..

Complex subject � simple and meaningful

• Face-to-face impact – Dialogue and Q&A

• Engaging interactives

• Powerful graphics

• Message reinforcement/collateral

• Captive audience

Activation and follow-up

• Data capture

• Program enrollment

• Surveys and inquiry follow-up

ENERGY EFFICIENCY EDUCATION AND MARKETING

2009 to present

Goals:

• EE outreach education

• Smart grid awareness

• New consumer programs

CASE STUDY

2009 to present

Planned Strategies:

• Interactive, staffed traveling display

• Colorful graphics and elements

• Flexible footprint and components

• Targeted events

• Program enrollment

CASE STUDY

Experience Components:

• CFL Lighting

• Exploring your Home for Energy Savings

• Energy Tips for Everyone

• Refrigerator/Freezer recycling

• “Hole in Your Home”

• Energy Star

• Intro: AEP Ohio gridSMART program

• Energy Safari

CASE STUDY

Results to date – July 2009 to March 2012:

• 51 events

• 73,000 consumers

• Avg. of 10+ minutes audience

capture time

CASE STUDY

2010 to present

Goals:

• Smart grid awareness and education

• Optimize consumer use

• Program introduction/enrollment

CASE STUDY

2010 to present

Planned Strategies:

• Interactive, staffed mobile display

• Colorful graphics and elements

• Flexible components

• “Green” elements

• Quick set-up/tear down

• Targeted events/venues

• Program enrollment

CASE STUDY

Experience Components:

• Multi-media intro show

• Smart Meter comparison

• Home Energy Reports/Web Portal

• Smart programs/devices for your home

• gridSMART Beyond Your Home

• OutSmart Quiz

• Renewable integration: solar & wind

CASE STUDY

Results to date – May 2010 to March 2012:

• 43 events/venues

• 27,000 consumers

• Avg. of nearly 10 min audience capture time

• Phase 2 transition – program enrollment

CASE STUDY

Drew McCartt, Senior Vice PresidentEvent Marketing Strategies

dmccartt@eventmarketingstrategies.com

www.eventmarketingstrategies.com

@eventmktgstratg

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Way to Save, Burlington! Fueling Energy Efficiency in Wisconsin with

Community-Based Marketing

Kevin Duffy – ICF International

March 7, 2012

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Overview

• Way to Save, Burlington!

• Energy Ambassador

• Energy Task Force

• Community Challenge

• Efforts and Activities

– Day-to-day

– Integration/Networking

– Media and Communication

– Home Makeover Contest

– School Energy Competition

– Web strategy

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• Community-based approach to marketing

energy efficiency programs and behavioral

changes

– Applying aggressive marketing as well as

other concepts and techniques, to achieve

energy saving goals

• Community campaign and branded theme

• No new measures are offered and existing

rebate levels are not enhanced

• Connects customers to existing programs,

incentives, information and tax credits offered

by Focus on Energy, We Energies and the

Federal government

• Encourages behavioral changes through a

pledging process

Way to Save, Burlington!

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• Burlington, WI

Way to Save, Burlington!

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• Representative of many towns in We Energies’ service area:

Population between 10,000 and 15,000

Typical energy use profiles

Strong industry presence

Not target of similar efforts by Focus on Energy

• Outside of major metropolitan areas

• Community pride and spirit

• Burlington is large enough to support effort, yet small enough

to measure impact

Way to Save, Burlington!

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• Intensifies Burlington’s

participation in energy

efficiency initiatives; achieves

energy efficiency goals by

serving as catalyst

• Connects residents,

businesses, institutions with

existing energy efficiency

programs, and information

surrounding behavioral

changes

Energy Ambassador

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• Integrates into the community:

– The city of Burlington

– Public and private schools

– Commercial and industrial

sectors

– Trade allies/Contractors

– Retailers

– Residents

– The Chamber of Commerce

– Economic Development

Corporation

– Local Organizations

– Religious institutions

– Multi-family building owners

– Healthcare/Hospitals

Energy Ambassador

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• Advisory role representing a variety of community interests

• Promote the program

• Help plan the Community Challenge and set energy savings goals

• Help develop community specific marketing plans

• Review benchmarks and progress

• Identify energy efficiency projects

• Hold regular meetings

• Subcommittees (schools, nonprofits)

Energy Task Force

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• Two Community Challenge Goals

– 1 percent, annual reduction in

energy use

• Equivalent to 4,230 MWh or 525

homes/250 businesses

– Pledge/behavioral goal – 1,500

pledges

Community Challenge

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Efforts and Activities – Day-to-day

• Prompt/Call-to-action

– Take the pledge

• Stakeholder communication

• Inquiries from community

members

• Local promotional events

• Scheduling Energy Assessments

– C & I, Multi-family

– Commercial Energy Blitzes

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• Speaking opportunities at local organizations

– Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Jaycees, Women’s

Business Club, Local Sierra Club Chapter

• Working with teachers and student groups

• Attendance to local events

• Partnering with the Racine County Economic Development

Corporation and Chamber of Commerce

• Organizing corporate Energy Teams

• Workshops

• Participation in Environmental, Safety and Health Fairs

• Coordination with proper We Energies and Focus on Energy

contacts

– Key Account Managers, Corporate Communications, Customer Service,

Trade Ally Liaisons, Energy Advisors, Energy Engineers

Efforts and Activities – Integration/Networking

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• Local media

– Standard Press

Newspaper

– WBSD radio

– Hi-Liter Shopping

Guide

• Constant Contact

• Quarterly flyer inserts

with City’s newsletter

• Email blasts

• Direct mailers,

outreach

Efforts and Activities – Media and Communications

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• Home Energy Makeover Contest

• Educate Burlington residents about

energy efficiency at home and

Home Performance with ENERGY

STAR

• Marketing campaign

• Publicity in local media outlets

• Sponsorships

• 8 finalists were chosen to create

videos

• Over 1,900 votes were cast

Efforts and Activities – Home Makeover Contest

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• School Energy Competition

• Encouraging students to become their

home’s energy manager by sitting down

with parents and taking the Way to Save

pledge

• School that garners the most pledges

wins

• One lucky student wins an iPad

Efforts and Activities – School Energy Competition

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• Web 2.0 Strategy

• waytosaveburlington.com

– Information and news

– Pledging

– Twitter feed

• facebook.com/waytosaveburlington

• twitter.com/wtsburlington

Efforts and Activities - Web

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Kevin Duffy

Energy Ambassador

ICF International

262.721.7540

kduffy@icfi.com

Thank you!

Contact Information

Drew Navolio – MEEA

anavolio@mwalliance.org

Drew McCartt – Event Marketing Strategies

dmccartt@eventmarketingstrategies.net

Kevin Duffy – ICF International

kduffy@waytosaveburlington.com