GOOD ENERGY TAXI

TitleGOOD ENERGY TAXI
BrandMERCURY ENERGY
Product / ServiceMERCURY GOOD ENERGY TAXI
CategoryA03. Best Use of Live Events and/or Celebrity Endorsement
EntrantTBWA\DIGITAL ARTS NETWORK Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Entrant Company:TBWA\DIGITAL ARTS NETWORK Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
PR/Advertising Agency:TBWA\DIGITAL ARTS NETWORK Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Credits

Name Company Position
Andy Blood Tbwa\digital Arts Network Executive Creative Director
Ross Howard Tbwa\digital Arts Network Creative Director
Jake Fitter Tbwa\digital Arts Network Digital Creative
David Minty Tbwa\digital Arts Network Digital Designer
Ryan Sproull Tbwa\digital Arts Network Digital Strategist
Sarah Crosswell Tbwa\digital Arts Network Senior Producer
Mandy Eckford Tbwa\digital Arts Network Account Director
Sarah Osbourne Tbwa\digital Arts Network Account Manager
Simon Betton Tbwa\digital Arts Network Front End Developer
Hsichen Hsieh Tbwa\digital Arts Network Front End Developer
Patrick Li Tbwa\digital Arts Network Server-Side Developer
Johannes Gertz Tbwa\digital Arts Network Producer
Cassidy Meredith Eleven Pr Senior Account Manager

The Campaign

We needed to position Mercury Energy as the ‘Good Energy Company’ in a way that would build positive sentiment around their brand and transform them into the most likeable energy company in New Zealand. We needed to do this by creating a human and emotional connection to Mercury that is contagious – something people want to be part of and share. We came up with the concept of the ‘Good Energy Taxi’, a cab that runs on nothing but good vibes: between passengers, the driver, pedestrians and anyone that might come into contact with it. Instead of passengers paying for their fare with cash, we asked them to pay with ‘good energy’ – by having fun, being kind and sharing their good natured-ness with those around them. We enlisted the help of a host of local media personalities, TV celebrities and musicians to help spread the positivity. They jumped on board carrying out a series of good deeds to whomever they encountered on their trip. The passengers’ good energy fuelled the taxi over 2,700km (that's over one and a half times the length of the country) making hundreds of smiles and good deeds possible. Mercury Energy emphasised the ‘car’ in karma and ‘paid it forward’ so no one had to shell out. All hail the ‘Good Energy Taxi’!

The Brief

Mercury Energy needed to change the negative perceptions consumers held about energy companies and in specific their brand. The 'Good Energy Taxi' is focused around inspiring people to participate in the good energy movement by engaging them with plenty of sharable content. We Filmed, promoted and amplified real good energy stories online. The objective of this campaign was to turn the tide of bad press about energy companies and generate a good news story for Mercury Energy, showing customers that it cares about more than just their money.

Results

The altruistic exploits of the celebrities and everyday passengers, enabled by the ‘Good Energy Taxi’, were picked up by national TV and radio and spread rapidly across Facebook and Twitter, reaching an audience of over 268,000 (over 6% of the entire population) in only two weeks. Mercury Energy Facebook likes increased by over 50% (4,180 to 10,373) from the start of the campaign. Customers signing up online to Mercury Energy went up by 50% (639 to 1271) month on month for the campaign duration. The passengers’ good energy fuelled the taxi over 2,700km (that's over one and a half times the length of New Zealand) making hundreds of smiles and good deeds possible. Mercury Energy emphasized the ‘car’ in karma and ‘paid it forward’ so no one had to shell out. All hail the ‘Good Energy Taxi’!

Execution

For two weeks in May, Mercury Energy sent the world’s first ‘Good Energy’ powered taxi onto the streets of Auckland to celebrate the good things we do for each other. Rides were paid for, not by cash or card, but by the good deeds of passengers. Awareness was driven by mainstream and social media coverage alone. This was achieved by enlisting local celebrities to ride in the taxi, including the Kiwi megastar rockband Shihad, Pua Magasiva an actor on the country’s most popular soap opera Shortland Street, a host of top media personalities including Kerre Woodham, Thane Kirby, Wendyl Nissen and Catherine Saunders, and social media gurus John Lai and Justin Flitter. PR coverage of their good deeds featured on the country’s highest rating TV breakfast show and national radio station, ZM. The influencers helped the campaign go viral, posting about their experience on Facebook and Tweeting using #goodenergytaxi.

The Situation

Kiwis aren't fans of any of the major power companies. Power bills have gone up significantly while consumers’ belts continue to tighten with the ongoing economic slump. Then there's the thorny issue of the planned privatisation of the three state owned power companies Mighty River Power, Meridian and Genesis Energy. And adding to the negative PR a customer with serious health issues died after their electricity supply was cut off. New Zealanders see energy companies as faceless, soulless corporate machines with the only objective of bringing in the big bucks.

The Strategy

If you took all the good actions that happen in New Zealand in a day, and put them in a single town people would think it remarkable. But it’s just ‘Godzone’. Why? Because NZ is one of the last places on earth where people still do nice things for each other. People are still genuinely good-natured. Not only that, we are also world leaders at geo-thermal, so our ‘good energy’ even exudes from the land. We wanted to introduce Mercury as the Good Energy Company, in a way that builds positive energy around the brand, transforms us into most likeable energy company in NZ, and makes consumers feel a strong part of it. It’s not just about us – it is about creating a human and emotional connection that is contagious – something people want to be a part of and share.