The Campaign

In Australia, due to rapidly rising prices, Energy Companies are having a PR crisis. They have now become the most hated service industry in the country. Even below banks. As a result, the entire industry has been trying to justify their prices by carefully explaining how the industry works. Instead millions of dollars worth of media is being completely ignored, because people find the energy discussion frustrating, complicated and boring. Origin Energy, Australia’s largest energy provider, needed more than anyone else to unlock this conversation. Enter the humble Fantale. For over 80 years, Australians have been raised on the ritual of chewing these chocolates, while reading their wrapper to learn entertaining movie trivia. So much so, the behaviour’s almost a reflex. We realized this ritual could be our communication breakthrough. With Origin EnergyTales. Topics normally considered too complex and boring, were explained in a way people not only understood, but actually enjoyed reading. And at the end of each tale, the hashtag #knowledgeispower was placed to invite people online to become part of the emerging energy conversation. The newly created Energy tale ritual succeeded where other methods failed, completely bypassing people’s mental barriers. And as result, Australians not only began to actually consider energy in a more positive light, but they began to engage with Origin, discussing their energy issues and concerns. In total, 9 million EnergyTales were read by the Australian public, and perhaps most remarkably, social sentiment for Origin went from only 4% positive to 52%.

The Brief

Research showed us that people simply refused to engage with energy companies at all beyond pricing. That they felt powerless because it was too complex. And worse they didn’t want to understand because it was so complex. We needed to break the communication deadlock and begin educating the public not just about energy, but Origin itself as an energy provider as opposed to just a dreaded bill. We needed to create a project that started to empower the public and simplified energy knowledge. And as a result put Origin Energy in a more positive light and as a category leader.

Results

The newly created EnergyTale ritual succeeded where other methods failed, completely bypassing people’s mental barriers. And as result, Australians not only began to actually consider energy in a more positive light, but they began to engage with Origin, discussing their energy issues and concerns. In total, 9 million EnergyTales were read by the Australian public. 38% of people who read an energy tale shared it. While 35% claimed they learnt something new.11% of readers engaged with Origin in a new energy conversation. And perhaps most remarkably, social sentiment for Origin went from only 4% positive to 52%. With Origin EnergyTales, a national chocolate ritual has now become a national energy conversation.

Execution

The Fantale wrapper and chocolate had never been used by another company as communication vehicle in the entire history of its existence, so careful negotiation with the owner Nestle was required. Then after careful choosing of topics, writing of tales, the establishing of a branded design identity with some resemblance between EnergyTales and Fantales (so people still understood the ritual) we released Origin EnergyTales to the public at major public transport hubs and shopping centres. We set up an online hub to showcase #knowledgeispower conversations and fully prepared Origin’s social media team to deal with the quick inundation of questions, debate and challenging topics that began to stream in from the public.

The Situation

In Australia, due to rapidly rising prices, Energy Companies are in a PR crisis. They’ve now become the most hated service industry in the country. Even below banks. As a result, the entire industry is trying to justify their prices by carefully explaining how the industry works. But instead, millions of dollars worth of media is being completely ignored, because people find the energy discussion frustrating, complicated and boring. They think of energy companies as just the dreaded bill that comes every quarter. Origin Energy, Australia’s largest energy provider, needed more than anyone else to unlock this conversation.

The Strategy

For over 80 years, Australians have been raised on the ritual of chewing Fantale chocolates, while reading their wrapper to learn entertaining movie trivia. So much so it’s almost become a reflex. We realised this very ritual could become our communication breakthrough – by creating and releasing our own Origin EnergyTales. Written and designed in the same style as the Fantales, energy topics normally considered too complex and boring, were explained in a way people not only understood, but actually enjoyed. At the end of each tale, #knowledgeispower was placed to invite people online to become part of the emerging energy conversation. EnergyTales would be released simultaneously around the entire country, creating a sudden social presence for Origin, speaking to the public in a completely fresh, yet, intuitively understood style.