Electricity needs a new personality. It has become embroiled in the world’s climate emergency and that is the biggest crisis facing this generation.

In Ireland, as elsewhere, everyday people need to feel that the small changes they are trying to make are making a difference and need to know that their worries and their efforts are being supported by larger entities, like their electricity companies. In Ireland, the largest energy supplier is Electric Ireland.

Rothco and Electric Ireland are showing the Irish people that while one household can make small changes, over one million households doing the same can have a profound impact on the future of energy through the eyes of Canadian astronaut, Colonel Chris Hadfield. In the campaign’s hero film, Hadfield admires the effects of all the lights illuminating Ireland at night from the International Space Station 200 miles above it, and explains that these lights are the result of people coming together in their everyday lives. The idea is that when people come together they can make remarkable things happen. The campaign promotes Electric Ireland’s support of people’s efforts with its Brighter Energy Programme which includes new products and services, such as a 100% Green Electricity Price Plan and the new online We’re Brighter Together Hub.

In 2013, Hadfield tweeted images of Ireland that had been captured from the International Space Station, creating a moment of national pride, with his message, Tá Éire fíorálainn, [Ireland is very beautiful].

He commented, “I’ve experienced two Space Shuttle missions, served as commander of the International Space Station, as a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and as an engineer. In everything I’ve done throughout my career, there is one constant – collaboration. Electric Ireland’s Brighter Energy Programme puts power and knowledge into people’s hands, so together with their family, friends, colleagues and communities; the small changes can really make a positive impact. It’s true what they say, we are brighter together.”

Rothco’s We’re Brighter Together campaign debuted on December 25 2019 with the 60-second film for TV and cinema. It is running now across all channels with additional 30- and 10-second executions. Electric Ireland is also launching its Brighter Energy Programme, an ongoing platform of educational content around energy awareness and use for all its customers. The Electric Ireland Brighter Energy Programme will offer customers practical advice, tips, and how-to videos, which will be released throughout the year and available online at the We’re Brighter Together Hub. The energy provider will also track and publish bi-annually Ireland’s energy literacy with the release of the Electric Ireland Brighter Energy Research Tracker.

OOH, press, digital, and social executions will all lead to the hub to discover the collective effect of the changes they make.

As part of the Brighter Energy Programme, Electric Ireland is also launching its all-new 100% Green Electricity Price Plan – available to new and existing residential Electric Ireland customers later this month, enabling Electric Ireland customers to make a positive change while retaining great value.

Stephen Rogers, creative director at Rothco, commented, “When we started on this brief it felt like we were going in search of the holy grail. A brand platform that would sit seamlessly across all the people, products and sponsorships that Electric Ireland has at the heart of their business and brand. In the new platform, We’re Brighter Together, we believe we’ve found something that perfectly encapsulates the brand and its unique position to communicate directly with over one million Irish homes and businesses about their energy. To help shape their collective energy habits for the greater good, now and into the future.”

Lisa Browne, head of marketing and customer insights at Electric Ireland, stated, “We’re Brighter Together is reflective of our understanding of customer needs and our ambition to help and empower consumers to make small changes which reduce their energy usage and in turn deliver a brighter energy future. Given our customer base of over one million residential and business customers, we are in the unique position to make a significant difference if all of us make little changes. We are committed to providing our customers with the best value offerings on an on-going basis, while also working with our customers to make the changes to contribute to combatting climate change.”

Credits:  

Agency: Rothco | part of Accenture Interactive

Executive Creative Director: Jen Speirs

Creative Director: Stephen Rogers

Senior Copywriter: James Pash

Finished Artist: Micky Hughes

Executive Producer: Jessica Derby

Senior Account Manager: Aoife O’Shea

Business Director: Katie Oslizlok

Account Manager: Scott Lawless

Head of Strategy: Kathy Troy

Senior Strategist: Darius Pasalar

Media Connections Strategist: Joe Ronan

Photographer: Alex Sheridan

Photographer Retoucher: Sarah Sharkey

Music: Keith Kenniff

Production Company: Red Rage Films

Director: Tomas Jonsgarden

Executive Producer: Paul Holmes

Head of Production: Treasa O’Friel

Producer: Magnus Akerstedt

Director of Photography: Rasmus Videbeak

Post Production: MPC London

Editor: Marcus Kryler

Post Production Supervisor: Dafydd Upsdell

VFX Supervisor: Lora Nikolaeva

Sound: 750mph London

Client: Electric Ireland

Head of Marketing & Customer Insights: Lisa Browne

Head of Marketing Communications: Sarah Moore

Campaign Manager: Lisa Buckley