OVO Energy Case Study

Core Objective

OVO Energy (OVO) wanted to educate the nation about "greener moments" and drive sign-ups for its “Power Move” initiative. OVO Power Move rewards eco-conscious customers for shifting their energy usage to greener periods, ultimately reducing OVO's overall carbon footprint.

Solutions

OVO partnered with media agency Goodstuff and programmatic DOOH technology company, Hivestack by Perion to create "The Greener Grid," a dynamic digital out of home (DOOH) campaign that would activate on screens only when the grid was being powered by a higher proportion of renewable energy sources. ‘The Greener Grid’ was a world-first programmatic DOOH campaign using real-time grid data and formed part of a multi-channel campaign for OVO’s Power Move.

Using Stagwell's technology, STAGE, a custom algorithm was built to fuel programmatic buying through the Hivestack Demand Side Platform (DSP). The algorithm would automatically bid when the grid was powered by renewable energy, updating every 30 minutes, increasing available spend during optimal periods. This also allowed OVO to reduce the overall impact of the campaign's media activity. 

The campaign featured the message, "If you're seeing this, it's a greener time to use energy," and was displayed on over 2,600 digital screens nationwide, including digital six-sheets, large formats across roadside, rail and shopping centers. 

This disruptive approach aimed to change behavior by only activating when it was the best time for OVO customers to use their energy.

Results

The Greener Grid initiative has only just begun, with a broader channel rollout planned due to its remarkable success in delivering for both the business and the planet:

• 16,928 sign-ups to OVO's Power Move during the two-month multi-channel campaign period, equating to 24% of total 12-month sign-ups.

• A threefold increase in traffic to the Power Move product page during the multi-channel campaign period.

• 681,521 kWh of electricity shifted – the equivalent of powering 252 houses for an entire year.

• 58.1 tonnes of carbon avoided.

• A 2% increase in OVO's spontaneous brand awareness during the multi-channel campaign period, higher than any other energy brand.

• 82% of the campaign was delivered during greener moments, compared to these periods representing only 54% of the time (an index of 152 vs. a normal campaign).

Testimonial

“OVO Energy creates game-changing, green technology and services for our consumers, and, incredibly, this is also true of our advertising. This latest campaign is one example of the action we are taking every day to find new, innovative ways to cut carbon across our entire business and consumer base. And it shows that with the right inventive minds and the right tech, it is possible to find better ways of doing things.” - Alice Tendler, Director of Brand and Marketing, OVO Energy