PRISA Public Relations and Communications Management

Application for PRISM Awards Southern Africa 2013

Campaign: 49M

Agency: Global Interface Consultancy

Client: Eskom

Category: Environmental

Word Count: 1 200 (Excluding picture captions and references)

SUMMARY

“You turned me on now turn me off”, “Let’s take it outside”, “it’s nicer in the dark”. These were some of 49M’s messaging tags spread to move SA to switch off the lights, spend more time outdoors and keep the minimum lights on. The campaign launched in March 2010 in response to energy shortages encourages South Africans to live green by leading energy EE (energy efficient) lifestyles. Tapping into South Africa’s witty flair the campaign kept South Africa on its quirky toes throughout the year from challenging them to make EE resolutions to keeping a sexy “in the dark” valentine.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM AND OPPORTUNITY

When South Africa first experienced electricity scarcity in 2008, it put power stations under immense pressure leading to outages. As a result Eskom rolled out various initiatives to address the challenge. One of these was the 49M energy-saving campaign, a national initiative aimed to encourage South Africans to lead energy efficient lifestyles.

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RESEARCH

Defining the problem

Though the factors that contribute towards energy shortage vary, 49M’s mandate was to focus on the most immediate factor, South Africa’s inefficient use of electricity. Research conducted to determine what led to this behaviour indicated:

The very low price of our electricity whereby the gap to the next cheapest country stood at 74% in 2007. (National Response to South Africa’s Electricity Shortage, January 2008), and most significantly,

Lack of awareness about individual impact to national energy. (See Energy Efficiency Strategy of the Republic of South Africa, Department of Minerals and Energy March 2005)

Determining the approach

According to the Eskom 2007 Annual Report research emphasised that if all South Africans could save 10% of their electricity usage, the problem could be significantly alleviated. This revealed that the solution was not only in the country spending, but in saving! (See National Response to South Africa’s Electricity Shortage, January 2008). This meant the solution could not only come from the state or ESKOM but by all 49Million South Africans contributing every little bit. (See EE Publishers, January 19 2008)

With electricity affecting everyone and being such a diverse country, no single approach (Mass Marketing) could reach all. Exploring and identifying a suitable market segmentation model was of utmost importance. For this 49M utilized research company Yardsticks’s market segmentation document of 2009, which segmented South Africans according to their energy usage. (See appendix 1). Furthermore, given the PR nature of the campaign Yardstick’s segmentation was aligned with local media consumption patterns. For this 49M drew from the SABC’s qualitative audience segmentation which divides South Africans along their diverse attitudes.

PLANNING

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A broad strategy was developed by Global Interface and presented to the Eskom board members for consideration. With Eskom being a State Owned Entity, it was also critical that this plan be endorsed at parliamentary level.

Objectives:

Persuade South Africans to save electricity through leading energy efficient lifestyles Influence people to be environmentally-friendly and mindful of SA’s resources

Measurable outcomes

50% awareness of campaign 10 000 individual pledges to be measured through 49M’s website and Facebook pledges 70 company pledges to be measured by signed pledges 10 Units per month of media coverage to be measured by published units Overall 10% reduction in energy consumption to be measured by quantitative research.

Market segments

Informed by the market segmentation models mentioned above 49M modelled its market segments as follows: LSM 1-5, LSM 5 -10, Corporate, Government, Youth and Academic SA. The campaign plan involved developing customised, approaches, massaging and activities for each segment.

(See Fig. 1 for Messaging per segment)

Communication Channels

Engagement between 49M and market has been most successful when done in a witty and engaging manner. To make sure that energy efficient messages reached everyone in their receptive environment the campaign was segmented into four key pillars each with its own approach, massaging and activities. They included:

Stakeholder relations: involved the Partner programme which encouraged corporate South Africa and all organisations to pledge to support 49M by running energy efficient operations

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Caption: CEO’s of SOE’s under The Department of Public Enterprises pledge to support 49M

Caption: Left, Spintelligent signs 49M Pledge. Right, Rocking the Daisies signs 49M pledge

Consumer relations: involved an Ambassador programme, mall activations, expo’s, radio & TV programmes, Kiddies programmes, a Campus programme, Young designers competitions, event naming rights and CBD ambush activations.

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Caption: Miss Earth finalists showcase 49M’s fashion handbag collection made from recycled 49M billboard material

Government relations: involved mobilising government and its entities at all levels to follow energy efficient practices.

Caption: SA’s Cabinet pledges to support 49M Community relations: involved running a national road show throughout South Africa’s

communities to encourage energy efficiency in households.

(See appendix 2. Fig. 2 for 49M Strategic pillars and activities)

All of the above were supported by vigorous media campaigns and a content strategy (see appendix 2. Figure 3). For each of these 49M had to:

Develop goals to be achieved within each stakeholder, community and/ or government activation

Identify media and newsworthy angles ahead of each activation

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Assigning experts to support and overlook key 49M Niche and Tactical Activations

EXECUTION

Due to the vastness of the strategy, the implementation thereof has to be tactically robust, efficient and carefully managed. With all the activities to be delivered within the first 12 months of the campaign a sound roll out plan was developed followed by quarterly monitoring and evaluations. (See appendix 2. Fig 4 for roll out plan)

Challenges encountered

With 49M being funded by Eskom, it was challenging to achieve independent credibility. Furthermore it being an infant brand, the possibility for dilution between itself and its funder was high thus threatening its very existence. 49M also had to educate South African media around energy issues which were very low in the news agenda.

All necessary tactical adjustments were conducted on a regular basis such as revising media angles to suit the changing media environment.

EVALUATION

The following is a table of outcomes:

Targeted Outcome OutcomeIncreased Awareness of 49M by 50% within year one of the campaign

Awareness is currently 73%83% of aware group have indicated that the campaign led to their changed behaviour*

Increased number of individual pledges to support the campaign to 10 000 within first year to be measured through website and Facebook pledges

8 008 Website pledges4 544 likes on Facebook

Total: 12 562 PledgesIncrease company pledges to support 49M to 70 within first year to be measured by signed pledges

74 Companies have pledged to support 49M to date

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Increase media coverage of 10 Units per month by end of year one to be measured by published and aired units

Average of 50 Units per month

To encourage each household to reduce 10% of its energy consumption to be measured by quantitative research.

Knowledge of electricity saving behaviour has increased to 97% amongst those aware of the campaign*

*See attached campaign evaluation report by AskAfrica

Other Highlights

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Campaign reached AVE of R 938 613 146 and 791 Units (See appendix 2. fig 5 for July to Dec figures)

More than 14% of South Africa’s corporates who have partnered with 49M are top 100 companies listed in the JSE

Four of the NGOs partnering with 49M are among the top 10 environmental NGOs in SA Three of the trade unions are among the biggest labour bodies in the country.

(See appendix 2 for Partner List)

Ends

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References:

1. http://www.eepublishers.co.za/article/the-root-causes-of-the-current-electricity-crisis-in-our-country-are-the-very-same-that-hold-south-africans-down.html

2. National Response To South Africa’s Electricity Shortage, January 2008: http://www.info.gov.za/otherdocs/2008/nationalresponse_sa_electricity1.pdf

3. Energy Efficiency Strategy of the Republic of South Africa Department of Minerals and Energy, March 2005: http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=88503