Client: npower
PR Team: Hill & Knowlton in consultation with in-house departments at
Greenpeace, npower and National Wind Power
Campaign: Juice launch
Timescale: August
Budget: £75,000
On 1 August, npower announced the launch of Juice, its clean electricity
product born out of a pioneering relationship with Greenpeace.
Juice will offer residential customers electricity generated entirely
from renewable sources. Subject to planning permission, supply will come
from a new wind farm approximately seven kilometres from the coast in
north Wales to be built by npower's sister organisation National Wind
Power.
Objectives
To convey business information about the feasibility of renewable
energy. To build npower's corporate reputation by associating it with
investment in wind power. To demonstrate the nature of the partnership
between npower and Greenpeace. To the inhabitants and media of North
Wales to smooth the planning permission process. To raise awareness of
Juice and its website so that, ultimately, the product would obtain
50,000 customers by 2003.
Strategy and Plan
The plan was in two parts, with activity in London and north Wales.
Locally on Rhyl beach there was a visual stunt using branded
windsurfers, and in London there were a series of one-to-one
briefings.
The involvement of Greenpeace conferred credibility on the story, going
a long way towards helping H&K sell it in, but the task was further
complicated by the Financial Times breaking the embargo and Scottish
Power rushing out its own sustainable energy plans at the same time.
Measurement and Evaluation
H&K estimates around 32 million people were exposed to the campaign.
Results
Activity in London and Rhyl communicating with the national and local
audience was laudable. The branded wind-surfing photo-opportunity proved
an effective way to get the key message across.
