California Energy Commission

We are helping the Energy Commission increase renewable energy across California by encouraging builders to build – and home buyers to buy – new energy-efficient homes with solar photovoltaic (PV) roofs. We helped the EnergyCommission select a PR firm (Edelman) and advertising agency (Barcellona) as part of the team, develop the initial strategies, and solicit public/private partnerships.

To get Californians more excited about the campaign and educate them about the benefits of energy efficient homes with solar PV electric systems, we recommended a consumer sweepstakes that encourages Californians to watch a short video about solar and energy efficiency at www.GoSolarCalifornia.org and take a short quiz in order to enter to win energy-efficient prizes. We negotiated media added value and public-private prize sponsorships that more than doubled the value of the media budget.

Results to date:

For 2008, we negotiated more than $900,000 in added value from leveraging the media buy, which included sweepstakes management and donation of the grand prize –a 2009 Toyota Prius hybrid. She also negotiated monthly prize contributions of Solio solar cell phone chargers.

In just 3 months, more than 16,000 Californians watched the video and took the quiz to qualify for the Solar Sweepstakes. Even more remarkable, 32% opted-in to receive additional marketing information about energy-efficient products and photovoltaic (PV) solar systems.

For 2009, we developed the concept of a Green Home Make-Over as the grand prize. We secured prize donations from 19 eco-friendly firms to help create a complete Green Home Make-Over for the winner’s home, totaling over $80,000. ProProse team also secured $300,000 in other products and services. Actor and widely known environmental activist, Ed Begley Jr. agreed to record our radio PSAs at no cost (value: $100,000). SMUD is contributing over a $100,000 in cash and marketing support toward campaign. In addition, we created stakeholder relationships with California Association of Realtors’ green website and the Northern California Appraisers’ Association.

The combined added value we have brought to the campaign exceeds $1.2 million.

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