Green marketing campaigns are an advancing trend in today's business
environment, but companies have to be careful not to oversell their green
claims or appear opportunistic. Gotham's expert staff understands the
difference between green marketing and greenwashing. Using our proprietary
approach and the full complement of marketing materials at our command,
we can create a carefully crafted environmental plan that's part of a
comprehensive small business marketing strategy to help you appeal to
green consumers without looking like you are simply cashing in on the
green trend.
Green Marketing Campaigns
CLIENT Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation - Lenoir,
North Carolina
TARGET AUDIENCE
72,000 Blue Ridge members
OBJECTIVE
To create a “green” sub-brand and communicate the importance
of energy efficiency and money savings to Blue Ridge Electric’s members.
CHALLENGE
In 2007, North Carolina passed the North Carolina Energy Legislation (SB3)
law promoting the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency
through the implementation of a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio
Standard (REPS). Under this new law, 10 percent of energy delivered by
rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric suppliers must be supplied
through renewable energy resources or saved through energy-efficiency measures
(in addition to 12 percent for investor-owned utilities).
Understanding Blue Ridge members were unfamiliar with the REPS requirements,
the cooperative chose to meet the state-mandated standards not only
through products, but also through energy-efficiency education. The
communications objective was to help members understand that the initiative
would let them save energy and money while contributing to ensuring
a healthier planet for future generations. To successfully engage members
in reducing energy consumption, Blue Ridge wanted to actively and emotionally
interest all its members in being more energy-conscious.
SOLUTION
The first phase of the project focused strategically on brand identity, including
naming and positioning. From the options presented by Gotham, Blue Ridge
selected “GreenSmart” as the name for the family of energy-efficiency
programs. Since the name would appear in print ads and on websites, it
was important that it graphically echo the existing corporate logo. To
accomplish that, Gotham designed the GreenSmart logo to incorporate a globe,
and an earth-friendly green and blue color scheme.
For positioning, Blue Ridge chose “Together we make a world
of difference.” Guiding that selection was the corporate goal
of helping Blue Ridge members feel they are a viable part of the green
movement. The introduction of GreenSmart to the Blue Ridge membership
was through a series of full-color print ads featuring words formed
from images of the new logo, a plant and a CFL (compact fluorescent
light bulb). The series ran black-and-white in local newspapers, and
color ads appeared in Carolina Country Magazine, which was direct-delivered
to Blue Ridge members. Gotham crafted radio spots with a parallel concept
to reinforce the print message across the target market.
Blue Ridge launched the GreenSmart initiative with discounted sales
of CFLs to members. Gotham supported the launch by designing retail
packaging and backers, as well as internal and external signage for
Blue Ridge district offices. A well-attended GreenSmart Festival held
in Boone featured many earth-conscious vendors promoting energy-efficiency
ideas and techniques to consumers.
RESULTS
It took just a year for the combined efforts of Blue Ridge and Gotham to
build GreenSmart brand awareness and the core energy-efficiency message
within the Blue Ridge Electric membership. The effort to communicate the
importance of energy-efficiency among Blue Ridge’s membership is
ongoing. Through the GreenSmart initiative, Blue Ridge members are being
educated to save money through modified energy usage patterns, which also
contributed to higher member satisfaction than the industry standard for
electric cooperatives. Retail sales through Blue Ridge District Offices
for CFLs, water-heater wraps and other GreenSmart products are above targeted
goals, also indicating members are responding well to this effort.
