Drive $marter Challenge 2009 Fuel Efficiency Consumer Campaign
PRSA Association/Nonprofit Conference Making Less “More:” Creative Strategies
for Working With Fewer Resources
Rozanne Weissman, Marketing Communications Consultant & Business Writing Trainer
Former Senior Director of Consumer Campaigns Alliance to Save Energy
Drive $marter Challenge 2008 Quick Highlights Situation & consumer market research Creative strategies/tactics/execution Evaluation/results
Drive $marter Challenge 2009 – Creatively Overcoming Economic Challenges
Video contest Greater social media Big bang for the buck!
Questions & Feedback
Today’s Discussion
Situation Analysis in Jan. 2008
Nation's increasing oil demand created 7 yrs of rising gasoline prices, air pollution, & CO2 emissions; reduced energy security
Projected $4+ a gallon gas prices by summer 2008 would hurt lower income Americans
Consumers must be engaged to be more fuel efficient
GOALS Reduce consumer gasoline bills, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), & overall U.S. national gasoline consumption
APPROACH Highlight easy driving & vehicle maintenance actions that add up to substantial savings ($, gallons, CO2 emissions)
AUDIENCE Low/lower middle-income drivers most hurt by high prices
Goals & Target Audience
Consumer Market Research – 6 Focus Groups Fear, powerlessness, already cut gas use MONEY $$ biggest motivator to
encourage demo to "drive smarter" & reduce VMT
Drivers wanted specific monetary savings tied to every driving & maintenance tip/action to make best decisions
Stunned at impact of driving behaviors Every participant took tested tips, never
before saw financial impact
Strategy Based on Research
Theme: Drive $marter Challenge
Messaging – save hundreds of dollars on gasoline annually
Website – heart of campaign & “call to action”
Website Strategy
Interactive website calculates/personalizes TOTAL $ savings w/their specific vehicle with 6 driving & maintenance actions
Challenge (total $, gallons, CO2) multiplier Discount coupons (motivates this demo) Tips, resources, myth busters
Partner Strategy
Obtain diverse nonprofit, governmental, trade association, & for-profit partners to expand campaign’s reach, budget, credibility, & potential members
Partners would heavily promote – toolkit
Feature rotating partners on every page
Greater $ contribution, greater role
Evergreen Campaign TacticsMulti-year Perspective Online – 2 websites for
general public & media; targeted digital & social media outreach
Radio – Humorous PSAs, PSAs, negotiated 2-year rights; targeted extensive outreach/interviews
TV – B-roll, on-the-road interviews
Tip cards – Car repair, DMVs, counties, drivers’ education – 2 million; 46 organizations
Buzz-Building Tactics Songs in English & Spanish (reggaeton)
downloadable to MP3 players & iPods Mobile marketing – downloadable ring
tones, weekly tips to cell phones Podcasts w/NASCAR driver –
unexpected High-definition B-roll, :60 news clip on
video sharing sites, photos on FlickrStories
Blogger & Hispanic outreach
Media & PSA ResultsEarned media Garnered 7631+ TV, radio, newspaper, &
magazine story placements 157+ million audience impressions Hundreds of websites & blogs
Radio PSAs Delivered more than 15 x ROI total campaign
budget $15.48 million donated airtime in 6 months 762 radio stations 134,922 + airings
Evaluation – Final Campaign Results
December 2008
Results–Messaging & Actions
Sept 2008 Shelton Group’s Energy Pulse survey: Nearly 70% had “seen, heard, or read money –
saving gas tips on ways you can change your driving habits or maintain your vehicle to improve your gas mileage & save hundreds of dollars every year.”
More than 70% said they had taken 4 specific fuel efficiency actions (featured in our calculator)
Research/Evaluation High gas prices & housing situation created
high receptivity for D$C money-saving gas tips that add up to big savings
1st time since 1980, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) & overall US gas consumption declined…documented by DOE, IEA, Gallup Poll
Awards & Recognition Numerous awards for total D$C campaign
Separate awards for interactive website & radio & billboard PSAs
Transportation Research Board poster board presentation at Jan. 2009 convention with 10,000 people from around the world
Covered 3 times in PR Week
Drive $marter Challenge
2009 Campaign
Challenges
2009 Campaign Challenges… and then the Economic Meltdown ….
1/5 of last year’s budget
2 funders rather than 6
High expectations after last year’s results
Lower gasoline prices = not in news daily
2009 Campaign Opportunities Excellent tactics that can be updated
& further promoted
Outstanding partners who can extend campaign’s marketing & reach
News & consumer interest because of tough economy so change messaging
Brainstorm creative solutions
‘Refreshing’ Campaign
Low-cost solutions Updated calculator, tips, tip cards with new May 2009 $ amounts, new coupons, new partners
New :60 news segment turned into podcast to video sharing websites & DirecTV, updated B-roll on broadband site
RMT. Alliance President & API w/national radio networks & syndicated talk shows = huge reach
Promoted English & Spanish radio PSAs – NAB, e-mail marketing, negotiations
2009 Campaign Brainstorming
No-cost/low – cost ‘blue sky’
ideas – contest to build buzz
D$C 2009 Video Contest
Worked with C3 to develop contest & microsite
Video Contest Strategy GOAL: Increase buzz, awareness, action, web traffic, younger audience, partner engagement, coverage Contestants use 1 or more fuel efficiency tips from D$C website in 2-minute video; public voting for top 10 Eligible entrants received $25 gift card from ExxonMobil & Car Care Guide from Car Care Council. Target film schools, digital, & social media (money-saving/frugality trend, travel, auto/race car enthusiasts, contests)
Obtained 65 videos!
Social Media StrategySocial media – Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Flickr Video contestants, Alliance, partners extensively used Facebook, twitter, YouTube 1158 fans of the Alliance Facebook page & 750 Twitter followers More than 665 hits to video website tracked by bit.ly resulted from "tweets“/retweet strategy from personal twitter account @PRlady007 Contest promo video on video sharing websites Winners on YouTube; all entries on YouTube Energy efficiency day at baseball Stadium on Flickr
Partner Engagement Strategy
Donated prizes, judges, fun!
Grand Prize: $5,000 from ExxonMobil
Second Prize: Choice between VIP NASCAR or Indy Race Package (latter
includes ride in 2- seater bio diesel racecar with pro-driver)
Third Prize: Whichever prize not selected by 2nd prize winner
Fourth Prize: Transportation Efficiency Package –
1-year AAA membership, 4 Michelin Energy Saver All
Season Tires, 2 Silver Spoke League of American Bicyclists memberships
17 Partners Multiply Impact
Energy Efficiency Day at the baseball game. Promoted D$C w/Alliance at new LEED-certified Washington, DC Nationals Park– tips on Jumbo-tron, 30,000 cobranded tip cards, booth, Energy Hog with Screech
Challenged nation’s 3,066 counties to take Drive $marter Challenge, 60+ counties participated & publicized. Winners honored
New Broadband ‘Twist’Updated B-roll footage Creative tactic–offered B-roll, other elements to video contestants
NEW :60 TV news story aired 7 times on DirectTV,1.48 million viewer impressions; podcast for video sharing websites
Focus on Radio – NationalNegotiated great price for national RMT launch May 19 –Alliance & API on radionetworks & syndicated shows- Fox, AP, CNN, Metro Networks, Bobby Likis’ Car Clinic Result: 6395 Stations, 8 million listeners
Additionally, Bobby Likis featured video contest on radio show, Youtube feed with video, website, “Tweets”
Focus on Radio – Local
5 humorous English and Spanish Radio PSAs – 926 Stations 155,599 times $17.538 million donated media
Local radio news & talk shows Nation’s Capital – WAMU, WTOP 60 Pennsylvania stations St. Louis station – reaches 44 states at night
Print & Digital Media Tips, D$C website, video contest featured: 92 print publications – 7.23 million circulation,15+ million impressions, including New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune
650+ websites & blogs – some featuring finalists/4 winning videos – OpEdNews.com, Frugal Dutchess, about.com Sandra's contest blog, Examiner.com, Car Gurus blog, smartmoney.com/Wall Street Journal, Radio TV Interview Report, Fox business, hot indie news.com, Tips for Green Travel Guide, auto channel, Treehugger.com
D$C Web Results
Web site Results*: Saving more & more every day…• 185,766 unique visitors
• 54,240 Challenge participants
• $24.5 million
• 10.5 million gallons of gas
• 117,500 metric tons of CO2
• 9,095 Mobil I coupons downloaded
• 51% increase in traffic during contest timeframe compared to same
time 2008 * As of December 2009
Video Contest #2
Click Photo
Questions & Discussion
