When its competitors crowded the heads of New Zealand’s energy customers’ with special deals, lowest prices and free power offers, Energy Online handed them something entirely different.
A few minutes of fun.
The idea by New Zealand creative agency, Contagion, was built on an information splinter – that people spend on average just nine minutes a year interacting with their energy provider.
Rather than cram more sales pitch into those nine minutes of interaction, Contagion offered a a humorous ‘stunt’. The agency created a series of films that entertain first, poke fun at the annoying sales methods of Energy Online’s competitors second, and communicate the brand’s benefits in a palatable manner.
The launch video is staged stunt featuring a door knocker and his gargoyle sidekick, who scare off door-to-door salespeople. It achieved nearly one million views in two days and was picked up by lifestyle media throughout the world.
Cameron Jardine, group manager new and growth business at Genesis Energy, owner of Energy Online, “It’s refreshing to work so collaboratively with an agency across all disciplines and build this brand together. We are future-focused company and needed a partner that thought the same way as we do.”
Contagion began working on a new strategic direction for Energy Online and created its new website, which launched in July.
David Goadby, retail general manager at Genesis Energy, commented, “We’ve had more sign ups for online services in 15 days than we had in 15 years. We couldn’t be happier with our new strategy.”
Creative credits:
Agency: Contagion
Planner: Dean Taylor
Creatives: Bridget Taylor & Verity Dookia
Design: Phila Lagaluga
Producer: Lauren Wethey
Social: Tom Bates
Production company: Augusto
Director: James Anderson
2nd Director: Jesse Griffin
Producer: Joseph McAlpine
