Business Incentive Program

Objectives
The Business Incentive Program (BIP) offers incentives to Toronto Hydro’s business customers to encourage them to make energy-efficient changes to their buildings. Incentives are based on Kilowatts saved by the renovations.

Context knew that it wasn’t enough to reach the business owners. It was also important to make an impact with interior designers and architects, the front line of building and renovations.

BIP-Quotes

Goal
The goal was to make designers, architects and building owners aware of the program and to consider it when planning renovations.

BIP-Website

Solution
Context contacted engineers, contractors, consultants and building owners to be the spokespeople for this campaign. We photographed, interviewed and videotaped them on job sites and at their offices for this multi-faceted campaign.

Project Scope
• 6-page insert featuring high-profile architects, designers, engineers and contractors
• Significant web module to incorporate into the Toronto Hydro site
• Advertising banner campaign information sheets and direct mail inserts
• 10 video interviews for the website and trade shows
• Complete trade show booth with BIP-specific graphics
• Series of editorial articles for trade magazines
• Unique logo for the campaign

BIP-Cover

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

Toronto Hydro Peaksaver

Objectives
Toronto Hydro introduced the peaksaver program to help lower the peak demand for power in the city. Supplying power during peak times is substantially more expensive and often requires power from less desirable generation sources. Under this program, a device controls residential air conditioners to cycle their power supplies at critical times to save energy. The challenge was to enrol customers by offering them a onetime incentive to allow Toronto Hydro to install the peaksaver device and control the air conditioner as needed thereafter.

Solution
Toronto Hydro customers were reached through a series of direct mail and email campaigns and information on the website. In addition to an incentive that ranged from $50 to $75, the messages appealed to customers’ sense of altruism, asking them to help the environment.

Results
Since the peaksaver devices must be installed on location by work crews, scheduling is a key consideration. Our goal is to keep the pipeline full, but at such a rate that waiting times are reasonable, given that incentives aren’t delivered until installation takes place. For the past two years, we have consistently kept the installers busy. Today, there are over 50,000 peaksaver installations in Toronto.

Client Testimonial
“Context Creative has been creating our direct mail and email campaigns for peaksaver for the past few years. They have been very successful at engaging our customers and have helped Toronto Hydro meet and exceed our targets for energy conservation for this program.”

Marina Tomasone, Marketing and Communications, Toronto Hydro

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

Lest We Forget

Every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we share a moment of silence to honour the memory of the men and women of Canada’s Armed Forces who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. This tradition provides an opportunity to express our collective sense of sorrow for the loss that war produces, as well as a chance to rejoice in the legacy of peace and freedom that our soldiers have defended and preserved.

lestweforget-stamp

Project Scope

  • Concept development and stamp design
  • Official First Day Cover (OFDC)
  • Souvenir sheet of two stamps
  • Stamp booklet for retail sales
  • Canada Post cancellation graphic

lestweforget-booklet2

Results

Given the theme and the dramatic execution, this became a very popular issue with stamp collectors.

lestweforget-booklet

Govan Brown

Client Objectives / Challenge
Govan Brown is a leading Toronto-based construction management company that has seen significant growth over a short period of time. Their challenge was poorly understood category, a weak identity that suggested they may be an interior design firm, a website that no longer reflected their business and a lack of materials to accompany RFPs or leave with clients.

govanbrown_truck

Context Creative Response
Our first challenge was to remake their identity so that it said “construction” in a strong elegant way. Based on that, we created a full stationery package, a website built on a content management system for easy updating, a 16-page brochure and graphics for vehicles and hard hats.

govanbrown_website

Campaign Results
The website has become a true tool for the company. Marketing and sales can now point clients to relevant case studies, while project managers use client collaboration software in the password-protected area. The company is now clearly positioned as a leader in its category.

govanbrown_cover

Client Testimonial
“Context Creative did a great job of bringing Govan Brown into the 21st century. The new website they created allows our current and potential clients to not only see information on the company, but also case studies of completed jobs pertinent to the clients’ specific industries. Context also implemented a Content Management System that allows us to make easy updates as new projects are finalized or service offerings are revised. We now manage the site in house which saves us time and money.”

Ginny Lovelace, Director of Marketing, Govan Brown Construction Managers

Ambit Search

Client Objectives / Challenge
Ambit Search is a new Toronto-based executive search firm specializing in finance and accounting professionals across all industry sectors. As a new company, Ambit needed to launch itself with impact in the tough Toronto market.

Ambit-website

Context Creative Response
For Ambit, Context handled all aspects of their identity and communications including:
• Development of identity and complete stationery package
• Design, writing and development of a distinctive website that would set them apart from the competition and allow them to update it quickly and easily
• Design, photography and writing for a corporate brochure

Campaign Results
Following an extremely successful company launch, Ambit is quickly establishing itself in a highly competitive market.

Client Testimonial
“Context did an excellent job for us. Basically, they created the face of Ambit. They spent the time up-front to really understand our business and appreciate what makes us different from our competitors. Visitors to our website are especially effusive in their praise, commenting on how innovative, clean and fresh our look is. We’re extremely happy with all the work that Context has done.”

Cathy Logue, Partner, Ambit Search