Summer Challenge

How to convince your customers to use less of your product

Toronto Hydro supplies electricity to the city’s residential and business customers. They also encourage customers to get the most value from the energy they use. In the summer of 2007, they focused on the business segment, asking them to reduce their use over the hot summer months – the months when demand and stress on the system is the highest.

Objective
Toronto’s businesses account for 20% of Toronto Hydro’s customer base. However, they’re responsible for 80% of the City’s electricity use. One of Toronto Hydro’s top priorities was to scale back energy usage over the critical summer months by asking customers to find ways to simply use less.

Goal
The goal was to ensure that Toronto Hydro’s customers were aware of this program, and the significant incentive they could earn by using 10% less electricity over July and August.

Solution
Toronto Hydro offered a 10% credit on a fall bill if the customer reduced their use by 10% over the summer. Using this simple and powerful message, Context worked with Toronto Hydro to roll out Summer Challenge for business.

We photographed Toronto Hydro customers in their business locations, putting them front and centre in this multi-media campaign. Businesses were encouraged to reduce their consumption by 10% between July 1 and August 31 and earn a 10% credit on their fall electricity bill.

Project Scope
• A set of 9 teaser postcards featuring Toronto business owners
• One 8-page (FSI) and one 4-page tabloid-size (2nd FSI) direct mail pieces to launch the program
• Direct mail (small and mid-size business customers) reaching 52,000
• Direct mail (large business customers) reaching 1,000
• Digital video boards
• Half-page newspaper ads (English and Chinese)
• Elevator wraps
• Elevator media – Captivate Network
• Online ads
• Web content and Media resources
• E-mail and Press releases
• Posters – Community affiliations
• Mid-campaign direct mail reaching 52,000
• Mid-campaign (3rd FSI)
• Street teams, community events and neighborhood postal walks
• Summer Challenge / BIP segue direct mail and ad
• Community Recognition ads
• Customer bill insert

Results
42 million kWh target

Over 87 million kWhs saved

70% campaign awareness

Research showed the campaign had over 70% awareness among its target market, and Toronto Hydro exceeded their goals for electricity savings over the summer.

Total Campaign Effectiveness
12,902 businesses achieved the 10% reduction of electricity use (approximately 24% of businesses).

An additional 4,197 business customers saw a reduction of between 6% and 9.5%.

Total media campaign impressions:

18+ 45,251,732
Professionals/
Business Owners 1,328,400

Total online campaign impressions
Total display ad impressions 2,462,496
Total click-through rate 3,314

Total e-mail impressions
Total standalone e-mails 9,351
Total viewed/opened 5,167
Total click-through rate 102

TorontoHydro.com/bizchallenge visits
June 1,621
July 3,404
August 771
September 485

Project Team
Creative Director: Lionel Gadoury
Copywriter: Andy Strote
Designer: Scott Leder
Project Manager: Jennifer Wilson
Mark Peter Drolet: Photographer

Awards
RGD Design At Work 2007

Power to Power TO

Objectives
Toronto Hydro is engaged in a number of critical projects that will upgrade the levels of service and reliability to the city. Phase 1 of this campaign introduced the programs to ensure that the public understood the importance of Toronto Hydro’s work in the growth and prosperity of the city. In addition to communicating these messages, we wanted the flexibility to address specific neighbourhoods, activities and events.

Solution
Working with the Toronto Hydro communications group, we developed a strategy for both messages and media. The key to the campaign was an aerial photo shoot of the city which gave a unique perspective to the communications.
• Helicopter photo shoot of the city
• Newspaper ads in numerous dailies and neighbourhood papers
• Transit shelters in the downtown core
• Animated TTC shows for on-platform advertising
• Web content for corporate site

Results
The launch of the program now allows Toronto Hydro to focus on specific aspects in future programs. In addition to reaching the public, the campaign was noted by municipal and provincial politicians, both key audiences.

CarbonZero

CarbonZero is a social enterprise committed to helping individuals, organizations and businesses neutralize their greenhouse gas emissions. The CarbonZero team believes that carbon offsetting is an important way to combat global warming. They provide carbon offsets, which are a real and permanent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

CarbonZero’s philosophy is that that businesses have the power to set an example, and begin the shift toward a carbon-reduced environment.

carbonzero_billboard

Objectives
Our objective was to help position CarbonZero as a credible and trustworthy seller of carbon offsets to corporations, organizations and individuals, and to communicate that high quality offsets have a real impact in a local market.

Goal
In a world of conflicting messages, it’s important to have an identity that communicates quickly and clearly. Our goal was to develop an effective identity package that would communicate quickly and properly position CarbonZero in the marketplace.carbonzero_billboard2

Solution
Context created a logo that embodied the idea of carbon reduction through the use of gradient colours going from a bright blue to white. This unique identity formed the basis for further marketing materials.

Project Scope
• Logo and identity package, including stationery, cards and electronic stationery
• Billboard campaign to support appearance at Calgary trade show
• Tradeshow booth

carbonzero_buscards

Project Team
Creative Director: Lionel Gadoury
Strategist: Andy Strote
Designer: Scott Leder
Project Manager: Cate Jevons

Sitag

This online contest says, “Show us your chair!”

Sitag is a Swiss-based manufacturer of stylish ergonomic office seating. The Inscape Group of Companies acquired the rights for this line for the North American market.

Sitag_posters

Objectives
The challenge was to introduce Sitag to the North American Architect & Design community – the ones who recommend furniture to the end clients.

Goal
Generate leads within the A&D community for Sitag reps.

Sitag_website

Audience
Architects, interior designers and A&D students

Solution
We created The Sitag Design Expressions Contest to encourage our audiences to visit the contest Web site, download chair graphics and then customize them for a specific person.

To drive our audience to the site, Context created:
• Posters for local sales offices
• Print leave-behind piece for reps to distribute to contacts
• Banners for leading industry sites
• Implemented our Email Campaign Manager to start a viral campaign

Results
• Emails were sent to 581 addresses
• Over 650 architects and designers registered for the contest
• Percentage of initial list to total sign-ups: 112% of original list
• Over 80 entrant designs were received – 12% conversion rate
• New names generated by sign-ups + e-cards: 728
• Through viral activities, the contact list grew to 225% of original list

Green Power Campaign

How to sell premium-priced Green Power to corporate customers

Ontario Power Generation wanted to introduce Green Power – environmentally-friendly power generated from renewable energy resources. Although only a fraction of a total customer’s power consumption would come from Green Power, by paying a small premium for it, the customers could communicate their environmental initiative to their customers, employees and other stakeholders.

Objectives
To successfully introduce Green Power to corporate customers.

Goal
To create a compelling program that would generate quick uptake, despite the premium and the fact that this power is indistinguishable from power from other sources.

Solution
For a customer, the real value in supporting this initiative is good PR. For a small premium, they could communicate that they support the further growth of clean energy sources in Ontario.

Our solution was to provide a complete communications package for the OPG sales team. The materials sold the specific product benefits, and reinforced OPG as a preferred supplier in the marketplace.

For Green Power we developed:
• A 6-page folder outlining product benefits and OPG’s leadership
• Specific product sales sheet inserts
• Mini-site for the OPG web site with lead-generation and data capture tools
• Intranet modules for customers’ Intranets to promote their support to employees
• Recognition plaques for customer sites
• Large banners for exterior of customer buildings

Results
Within months, OPG had sold out of all Green Power capacity with commitments from several leading corporations.

ideaCity 2006

An enlightened approach to the ideas of our time
An annual conference held in Toronto each June, ideaCity draws together fascinating and provocative thinkers from all walks of life. The eclectic lineup for 2006 included: folk legend Pete Seeger, illusionist Franz Harary, futurist Gregory Harper, environmental activist Mike Papantonio, and controversial figure Lord Conrad Black.

Objectives
To create a comprehensive guide that would lead attendees effortlessly through the agenda of the three-day conference, including detailed schedules, maps, and information on presenters. The format also accommodated participants’ notes.

Goal
Context wanted to create a memorable book that was both an ideaCity companion piece and a valued reference and memento, full of inspiration that went beyond the three days. We wanted to design a book that inspired interaction. More than just a keepsake, we intended it to be an idea generator, a catalyst and record for insights and ideas, that encouraged participants to write or sketch within the pages and to stimulate thinking, feeling and believing.

Solution
Context found the perfect creative inspiration in The Age of Enlightenment. Known as a time of great thinkers who set mankind on a path of inquiry and ideas, the allusion was well-suited for this three-day conference that features the ideas and idealists of our time.

The cover depicts a well-thumbed book, with the words “Ideas Change the World” emblazoned on the front. Inside the guide, old-world elements are beautifully balanced with a vibrant, contemporary colour palette of chocolate, orange and rhodamine red that brings the book decisively into the current era.

Speakers are represented with a full-page photo adjacent to their biography. For each, Context created a unique illustrative treatment in sepia tones. The treatments highlight the personalities in a very immediate and distinct way.

Results
With the greater focus on the presenters and their ideas, ideaCity organizers felt it was their most effective book to date.

The ideaCity06 Conference Guide was honoured with inclusion in the “Design at Work 2006” Annual from the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario.

ideaCity 2007

One idea can change the world
For the second year running, Context worked with the mad geniuses at ideaCity to create the keepsake Conference Guide. An annual conference held in Toronto each June, ideaCity draws together fascinating and provocative thinkers from all walks of life.

In 2007, our minds were expanded by such luminaries as Dr. Richard Dawkins, author of the God Delusion, Paul Watson, the founder of both Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and Dr. Étienne-Émile Baulieu, inventor of RU-486, known as the “morning-after” pill.

ideacity07_1

Objectives
As always, our objectives were to create a truly useful book for the conference with all the information anyone would need. But we also wanted to make the book unique for each attendee. So we applied a big helping of style together with the latest personalization technology to make each one a keeper.

Read the solutions section to see how we addressed these objectives.

ideacity07_2

Goal
Simply, the idea behind the book was to put a big smile on everyone’s face the minute they receive it, and to keep the delight going throughout the conference.

More than just a keepsake, we intended this to be an idea generator, a catalyst and record for insights and ideas, that encouraged participants to write or sketch within the pages and to stimulate thinking, feeling and believing.

Solution
We started with our favourite most optimistic colours – bright yellow and red. Then, using database-driven printing technology, we created a unique cover for every attendee with their name boldly displayed in white type against the yellow background which featured the names of all of the speakers and many of the fellow attendees.

Maybe it wasn’t what personalization technology was meant for, but it worked for us in creating 500 unique covers.

Inside, the book features a palette of bight pop colours with the speakers’ photos contrasting in black and white.

ideaCity 2008

So, how old do you feel?
It’s our third year for the ideaCity Conference Guide. Moses Znaimer, as usual had a number of areas he wanted to explore over the 3 days, but a key focus was aging and longevity. After all, we’re not getting any younger. Yet.

What does it mean today to be “old”? Will the average baby born in 2008 really live to be over 100? How many body parts can you replace and still be called human? When will robots take over? Have they already?

Many of these puzzles were solved. Some were left hanging in mid-air and others left us scratching our heads and wondering.

Objectives
We wanted a little shock treatment, a slight provocation. Hence the cover, printed on a highly tactile paper that feels like flesh. Inside, we obtained the rights to use a selection of Spencer Tunick photos for our divider pages.

Goal
Simply, the idea behind the book was to get you to think – whether pensive reflections on mortality, or chuckles and titters on the thought of standing naked in the stalls at La Scala. In any case, this was a book to be remembered.

Solution
While the content of the book was designed to solicit a reaction, the format was all about practicality and functionality. The main focus of course was on the speakers. Tear out sheets to be pinned to “The Great Wall of Ideas” were also provided. And all of the requirements for directions, sponsor recognition and other necessities were handled with grace.

Project Team
Creative Director: Lionel Gadoury
Designer: Dave Hurds, Tang Luu
Project Managers: Tara Kelly, Cate Jevons
Production and Printing: Moveable Inc.