Strategic Marketing

CASE STUDIES 3 of 5

Raising Awareness as the Mercury Rises

New York’s BECOOL/Stay Cool Campaign

Client: NY State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Location: New York City and select upstate areas

Challenge/Business Need

New York State has pledged to reduce electricity usage 15 percent by 2015 to support the economy, expand its energy workforce, and contribute to environmental protection. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is helping New York meet its ambitious 2015 energy goals. Working within significant budget constraints, NYSERDA wished to:

• Deliver long-term behavioral changes to reduce energy demand
• Create a compelling seasonal campaign to engage consumers

CSG’s ROLE

CSG designed and coordinated a multimedia campaign to support NYSERDA’s efforts in New York City and specific upstate NY markets. The campaign encouraged New Yorkers to reduce energy consumption by replacing inefficient air conditioners with more efficient models, and by adopting other energy-efficient measures and behaviors. The BECOOL/Stay Cool campaign promoted key initiatives including:

• Free recycling of room air conditioners
  
• Incentives for turning in old, inefficient units ($100 or $35 depending on type)
  
• Simple home energy saving tips
  
• BECOOL Challenge for New York City and the five boroughs, to identify the “coolest” county
  
  

Strategy & goals

The BECOOL/Stay Cool campaign not only encouraged consumers to replace inefficient air conditioners, but also incorporated other home energy efficiency measures. Messaging promoted the dollar savings consumers could enjoy, while also creating a powerful “feel good” element to encourage New Yorkers to work together to save energy. The campaign included:

• Regional versions for local events, promotions, and "turn-in" programs for appliances
  
• Cross-promotion of other energy efficiency products/measures such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and programmable thermostats
  

The campaign ran July-September 2007 in New York City and upstate, with media support including:

• Online & print
  
• TV and radio
  
• Mass transit

Impact

Follow-up research was conducted via 1,207 telephone interviews to determine the campaign’s effectiveness. Despite a reduced media budget, the campaign was shown to be highly successful in both market areas. Key success benchmarks included:

• Total advertising recall: very strong at 78 percent
  
• Upstate recall increased to 80 percent vs. 10 percent in 2006
  
• 64 percent liked the ads (extremely high compared to MSW Worldwide norm of 40 percent)

Most importantly, half of those who recalled the campaign said that it inspired them to take action including:

• Buying CFLs: 37 percent
  
• Reducing off-peak usage: 22 percent
  
• Purchasing an ENERGY STAR product or service: 14 percent
  
• Installing a programmable timer or thermostat: 13 percent

The campaign resonated with consumers and resulted in both short-term, seasonal behavioral changes, as well as long-term adoption.

CSG Contacts

Cindy Johnson, Vice President of Marketing & Communications