Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/596445
UTILITY WEEK | 6TH - 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 | 25 Customers thanks to the popularity of campaigns such as ComparetheMarket.com. It is also "very difficult to argue with a penguin", à la British Gas. That's why cute and cuddly characters are a great way of communicating a brand's message, Salmon says. Three of the campaigns feature mas- cots: an explorer penguin; a sad orangutan; and dancing Zingy, the EDF flame that jiggles about in the freezer in one advert and takes a dive into a bowl of grapes in another. Some suppliers have taken a different tack, such as Eon in its advert promoting its Eon Touch smartphone product. According to the company's head of marketing, Daren Carter: "We are not using a gimmick or mas- cot to deliver the message, we are trying to use a representation of what customers will experience with us." He adds: "We are not using humour to be frivolous. We recognise the whole energy market is a serious issue, but if you want to engage people, it's a good way to get peo- ple's attention. That's why there is a humor- ous element without being slapstick or silly." Ovo has taken a similar approach for its Smart PAYG+ for prepay top-up using a smartphone app. Despite winter fast approaching, only one advert makes reference to the changing sea- sons. British Gas's "wondrous homes" advert features an explorer penguin wandering into a warm, lit home from the snowy cold. The use of seasons, Salmon says, "creates a sense of continuity and being part of the natural rhythm of daily life". This is key to the concept British Gas has been developing in recent times. It has positioned itself as the supplier dedicated to looking aer consum- ers' homes though its home services. Staying clear of seasonal references, however, does allow suppliers to extract maximum value by re-running expensive advertising campaigns. But Salmon says TV is a cost-effective medium for promoting consumer engagement. From his own experi- ence at Yorkshire Water, Salmon knows that advertising does work for utilities. Website hits spike at the end of a TV advert. Of course, TV adverts are just "the tip of the iceberg. To achieve penetration they need to be part of an integrated multi-chan- nel experience", Salmon says. Carter says TV commercials are just one part of what should be a "whole host of digital channels". And having an exciting and engaging advert is just the first step, Salmon says. "You can't make promises that aren't true or backed up by your customer experience or the way you operate – even if it does come from the lips of a cuddly animal or CGI animation." Ovo has also opted for humour to promote its Smart PAYG+ smartphone energy app. British Gas has gone for a more straightforward informative advert for its remote control heating product, Hive. Eon has eschewed mascots and puppets, opting instead for humour, with a customer service representative front and centre. Its "whenever, wherever" smart prepayment advert starts out in a completely relatable, plausible scenario – a customer's kitchen – but moves to increasingly bizarre and amusing situations. It's a good way to get people's attention without being frivolous, says Eon.