Cohn and Wolfe lands launch PR for Virgin Energy

Cohn and Wolfe has been handed a product PR launch brief for Virgin

Energy, the latest brand extension in Richard Branson’s empire.

The agency won the work after a three-way pitch. At the moment the brief

is to launch the venture but that is likely to be extended beyond the

launch to an annual retainer.

The agency is currently putting together proposals aimed at extending

the initial launch project. C&W is planning a consumer, corporate and

new media campaign to sustain awareness and drive sales beyond the

launch date in late summer through Cohn and Wolfe Interactive.

The account team is headed by associate director Saffron James and

account manager Sam Field, reporting to Virgin Energy’s sales and

marketing director Gary Tubb.

Virgin Energy is a joint venture between Virgin and London Electricity,

which is owned by Electricite de France. The venture is 75 per cent

owned by Virgin and 25 per cent owned by LE. The proposition is to sell

gas and electricity to consumers over the internet, with Virgin in

charge of marketing the product and LE tasked with sourcing and

delivering the gas and handling customer relations.

LE considers the venture a way into the e-commerce sector, although in

targeting consumers directly it will mean competing against itself for

new business.

Virgin is thought to have spoken to other potential partners before

agreeing to link up with LE. Both Eastern Energy and Scottish and

Southern had been linked with Virgin in earlier press reports.