How to tackle fuel poverty in the UK?
How to tackle fuel poverty in the UK?
“Free help is available to people struggling to keep warm in winter, but too many are failing to claim because they don’t think the help on offer is meant for them. By focusing on the positive, 300million’s rebrand and campaign ideas have gone a long way towards changing people’s perceptions and breaking down those barriers.”
Oliver Wright
Campaigns Manager
Home Heat Helpline
Discover
Client background
The Home Heat Helpline was set up by the Energy Retail Association in 2005 as a free, not for profit phone line to help British energy customers who are struggling to pay their fuel bills. It works with dozens of welfare organisations and the six major energy suppliers to provide options for people who need extra help.
Business challenge
By 2008, the service had helped over 50,000 people, but 75% of the most vulnerable still weren’t aware of the help available and only a third would consider approaching their energy supplier for assistance. With the impact of the recession, combined with forecasts for increasingly cold winters, a complete overhaul of the brand was needed.
The aim? To radically change the brand campaign’s look and communications to increase
awareness, calls and website visits towards helping the Government achieve its target to eradicate fuel poverty in the UK by 2016.
Define
The previous branding emphasised the grim reality of fuel poverty, depicting the old and infirm. It seems simple, but by focussing on the positive steps people can take, we turned round the whole look and feel of the campaign.
Design
Launched in December 2008, the campaign centres around positive real-life stories of people who have been helped by the service. The new identity makes you feel warmer just by looking at it – the three H’s form a monogram that radiates heat. The campaign also includes a new website, short film, posters, banners, flyers, enlistment of ambassadors including actress Kym Marsh, actor Richard Wilson and Paralympian Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and nationwide road shows complete with a branded tea wagon and smiley tea cups and mugs to convey warmth, informality and friendliness.
Deliver
More people than ever are heeding the message that help is available.
- Over 50,000 calls received during 2009-2010 – a whopping 43% YOY increase. In January 2009 alone, calls to the Helpline more than quadrupled over the previous year.
- An unprecendented cold spell in December 2010 saw record calls of 10,000 – a 600% increase from the year before.
- The new campaign website received a 33% YOY increase in visits in December 2009 and a staggering 100% YOY increase in visits in December 2010. Not only this, but 37,000 people visited the website between November 2010-March 2011 – in just five months the site received 75% of the total visits for the entire 2009-2010 year.
- 48% of callers saved money on their utility bills in 2009-2010.
- 90% of callers found the Helpline was a friendly place to turn to in 2009-2010.
