The Green Light Signal harnesses the power of National Grid’s energy data to tell a powerful story designed to raise awareness, achieve cut through with key decision makers and drive behaviour change. The smart bulb highlighted green energy availability, putting the power to make better energy choices in people’s hands.
Paid Ads reached 10.8m .We had 43 pieces of media coverage, including 9 National publications, 15 Radio and 2 TV. Boris Johnson picked up the campaign activation and championed it with an installation outside the doors of 10 Downing Street, creating a powerful image which spread further awareness.
Background
Ahead of their sponsorship of COP26, National Grid wanted to create awareness and understanding of progress towards - and their commitment to - net zero. They needed a positive story, focussing on the progress made to combat climate change inertia and actions which can and will be taken to make an impact.
As one of the UK’s largest infrastructure providers, National Grid provide an essential service that we rely on every day, yet don’t “see”. The public aren’t aware of the action being taken to move Great Britain towards net zero, and also aren’t aware of how the evolution of the grid means their own choices can contribute towards greener, more sustainable living.
Objectives:
• Create awareness of National Grid’s commitment to and progress towards net zero
• Build progress into the public consciousness.
Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)
Insight
National Grid have a looooot of data. A lot. About all energy produced and all energy consumed, at any given time.
And most people want to help battle climate change, but they don’t know how. They don’t have the information and feel the task is too big.
What if we took National Grid’s live data from across Great Britain and used it to create a solution which would let consumers know how to make smarter energy choices at home in real time, so they could do their part for sustainable living?
Idea
Introducing The Green Light Signal. The low energy consumption lightbulb that glows green when the electricity supply at home is cleanest, letting people know in real time when they can turn on their dishwasher or charge their car, without negatively impacting the planet!
Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)
Audience:
Policy makers and the general public, especially GenZ (8 – 24) and New & Young families (24 – 44)
Approach:
If people know when the energy is available to them is coming from green energy sources, they are empowered to make choices that are better for the planet.
In order to reach our target audience, we told a simple data story to start conversation, increase renewable energy use and show people that their actions do make a difference, at the same time as raising awareness of National Grid’s green energy ambitions.
By meeting this audience where they were – at home – and offering them a practical solution to reducing their own environmental impact, National Grid were able to demonstrate that they are acting in real and robust ways.
The innovative nature of the approach was designed to earn attention beyond the scope of the initial bulb roll out.
Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)
Activation:
First, we had to create the working bulb.
To do this, we linked National Grid data to smart bulbs through an API. Once linked, carbon footprint data could be pushed in real time, from servers to homes.
A setting was made to change the colour of the bulb once zero carbon energy sources had taken over.
Users’ location data was added on sign up, so when an area’s energy source was green, it ‘pinged’ the light bulb to go green.
Implementation, Placement and Scale:
Hundreds of green light smart bulbs were produced and circulated to celebrity talent, influencers and politicians around the UK, including the COP26 minister Alok Sharma. These were boxed up with a user guide so recipients had step-by-step instructions to get started with their bulbs, as well as handy tips for the kind of activities they should consider doing when they got the ‘green light’.
List the results (30% of vote)
237.8 Million total reach
750 Bulbs gifted, including to journalists, celebrity talent, social media influencers, energy and sustainability opinion leaders, ministers and MPs, and FTSE 100 CEOs, including Admiral, BT, IHG and Unilever, COP26 Principal Partners.
18,708 visitors to the campaign website landing pages.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson picked up the campaign activation and championed the Green Light Signal with an installation outside the doors of 10 Downing Street, creating a powerful image which spread further awareness.
UK Results
Paid Ads:
10.8 Millions Impressions
3 Million Reach
17.1 Link Clicks
3.2 Million Video Views
Earned results:
43 pieces media coverage
100% positive or neutral sentiment (80% above target)
88% of coverage featured a spokesman quote
95% coverage featured at least 2 key messages
KPIs reached and exceeded:
National media coverage: 9 (3 above target)
Broadcast Radio: 15 (9 above target)
Tech & Trade Press: 12 (2 above target)
Broadcast TV 2 (on target)
4 influencers engaged, leading to:
25 posts and videos
11.28% average engagement rate on influencer posts (target was 3.5%)
1 Million Reach
700K Impressions
Organic social:
135.2K Total impressions
8.2K Total video views
2.4K Engagements
US Results
Paid Ads:
1.1 Million Impressions
472 Total engagements
9,575 Link Clicks
465.4K Video Views
Organic social:
55K Total impressions
345 Total video views
760 Engagements