Drive $marter Challenge Marketing Communications

Campaign Multiplying Impact through

Diverse Partnerships & Creative Tactics

IABC Regional Heritage Conference 10/20/09Rozanne Weissman

Alliance to Save Energy

Drive $marter Challenge 2008 Campaign – Partners Deliver

Situation Consumer market research Planning & communicating – Creative strategies/tactics/execution Evaluation/results

Drive $marter Challenge 2009 Campaign – Creatively Overcoming Economic Challenges

Video contest Greater social media

Questions & Feedback

Table of Contents

Campaign Overview

Situation Analysis

Nation's increasing oil demand created 7 yrs of rising gasoline prices, air pollution, & CO2 emissions; reduced energy security

Transportation sector responsible for 70% of US oil use & 1/3 CO2 emissions

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, & 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

Won Wal-Mart Foundation Grant

Research

Consumer Market Research

6 focus groups w/ target demo in 3 markets January 2008

Fear, powerlessness, already cut gas use; most had home Internet access

MONEY $$ biggest motivator to encourage this demographic to "drive smarter" & reduce VMT

Consumer Market Research

Drivers wanted specific monetary savings tied to every driving & maintenance tip/action to make best decisions

Stunned at impact of certain driving behaviors on their gas costs/usage; extensive myths/misinformation

Every participant took tested tips, never before saw financial impact

Planning & Communicating –

Creative Strategies, Tactics, & Execution

Strategy Based on Research

Theme: Drive $marter Challenge

Messaging – save hundreds of dollars on gasoline annually

Website – heart of campaign & “call to action”

Partner Strategy

Obtain diverse nonprofit, governmental, trade association, & for-profit partners to expand campaign’s reach, budget, & credibility

Greater $ contribution, greater role Partners would heavily promote –

toolkit Feature rotating partners on every

page

Website Strategy/Execution

Unique, compelling, personalized Graphically illustrate & calculate 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, 6° concept – impact of our choices

Website Strategy/Execution

Campaign Launch Strategy

High-profile speakers – Senator, Representative, partners (high $)

National Press Club Extensive media outreach – May 20

blitz Unveil campaign & media websites Politicos take challenge, dear

colleague letters

Television– SMT, :60, downloadable B-roll, on-the-road, pitching, NASCAR AngelsTelevision– SMT, :60, downloadable B-roll, on-the-road, pitching, NASCAR Angels

Speakers Alliance Honorary Chair Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) Alliance Honorary Vice – Chair Rep Zach Wamp (D-TN) Ray Bracy, SVP, US Government Relations, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc Red Cavaney, President & CEO, American Petroleum Institute Dave McCurdy, President & CEO, Alliance of Automobile

Manufacturers Margo Oge, Director, OTAQ, U.S. EPA Kateri Callahan, President, Alliance to Save Energy

Launch News Conference

SMT Launch with 2 Partners

Cutting-edge Tactics Build Buzz

Mobile marketing – downloadable ring tones, weekly tips to cell phones

Songs in English & Spanish (reggaeton) downloadable to MP3 players & iPods

Podcasts w/NASCAR driver – unexpected

High-definition B-roll, :60 news clip on 20 video sharing sites, photos on FlickrStories

Blogger & Hispanic outreach

Other Campaign Tactics Online – 2 websites, outreach to

targeted websites and blogs, social media

Radio – PSAs, ANRs, RMT w/networks & syndicated shows, PSAs on NASCAR show, extensive outreach/interviews

TV – SMT, B-roll, on-the-road interviews Billboard PSAs Tip cards – Car repair, DMVs, counties,

drivers’ education

Broadband Media Website

Drive $marter ChallengeBroadband Media Website

Click HereEverything downloadable:

:60 news clip Streaming video B-roll 7 Podcasts with NASCAR driver 5 Humorous radio PSAs & scripts Driving & Saving songs ANRs Images News releases Partner visibility

Evaluation – Final Campaign Results

December 2008

Web site Results*: Saving more and more every day…• 118,383 unique visitors

• 40,573 Challenge participants

• $24.15 million

• 7.34 million gallons of gas

• 82 metric tons of CO2

• 9,071 coupons downloaded

* As of December 2008

Web Results

Total Media ResultsEarned media – how we did it Achieved 7631+ TV, radio, newspaper, &

magazine story placements 157+ million impressions Hundreds of websites & blogs

Radio PSAs – how we did it Delivered more than 15 x total campaign

budget $15.48 million donated airtime 762 radio stations 134,922 + airings

Billboard PSA Results

622 billboards, poster boards, & bus shelters in 12 states

$1 million donated media value & 250 million impressions

Demand exceeded supply budget

Tip Cards Results

2 million tip cards

printed & distributed

47 companies & organizations ordered tip cards

16 companies & organizations co-branded w/their logos

Double-sided Tip Card in English & Spanish

Partners Multiply Impact

NASCAR Angels

Drive $marter Challenge

Television Segment

Click Here

Partners Multiply ImpactEnergy Efficiency Day at the baseball game. Promoted D$C w/Alliance at new LEED-certified Washington, DC Nationals Park– tips on Jumbotron, 30,000 cobranded tip cards, booth, Energy Hog with Screech.

Challenged nation’s 3,066 counties to take Drive $marter Challenge, from July through November. 60+ counties participated & publicized. 3 winners honored.

Car Care Council distributed D$C tip cards to its vendors & consumers through "Be Car Care Aware" Point-of-Sale Starter Kit.

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) & Ark Gov Mike Beebe showcased D$C website on homepages to encourage participation by constituents.

Partners Multiply ImpactWal-Mart distributed tip cards to 430 Sam's Club gas stations & 2,495 Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express; provided discounted campaign printing

ExxonMobil ran Op-Ed ad highlighting D$C & reinforcing the campaign’s driving & maintenance tips in The New York Times, Washington Post, Roll Call, & National Journal.

Communications director of Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, authored guest comments on prominent environmental & political blogs emphasizing importance of fuel-efficiency & encouraging consumers to act on Drive $marter Challenge tips; donated VNR.

Dear colleague letters to senators and representatives from Sen Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) & Reps Zach Wamp (R-TN) & Mark Udall (D-CO), Co-Chairs of the House Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucus, encouraged politicos to take the Challenge.

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

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

June 2008, the first full month of the campaign, saw dramatic decreases

Research/EvaluationSept 2008 Shelton Group’s Energy Pulse survey: Nearly 70% had “seen, heard, or read money –

saving gas tips regarding 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/EvaluationSeptember/October 2008 Overall US petroleum demand was lowest level since

1999 (– DOE) The demand impact of weaker economic conditions & high

prices during summer – when oil prices reached all-time peak – was more marked than expected, notably in the US (– International Energy Agency)

Research/EvaluationDECEMBER 2008 Gallup poll

Although gasoline prices were 45% lower than a year ago & significantly below $2 a gallon, 52% of Americans said they have not gone back to their old gas-guzzling ways

68% of middle to lower-income consumers (less than $75,000) reported changing habits – consolidated trips/drove less because gas prices eat up larger % of income

Research/EvaluationDECEMBER 2008 other research

4% increase in public transportation ridership in 2008 over 2007 – highest in 52 years (– American Public Transportation Association APTA)

3.6% decline in VMTs in 2008 (– DOT)

Decrease in driving was more than just reaction to cost of fuel or economic downturn; it represents a "permanent shift…” (– Brookings)

Drive $marter Challenge

2009 Campaign

Challenges

2009 Campaign Challenges

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 with national radio networks & syndicated talk shows = huge reach

Promoting 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 Video Contest

2009 Video Contest Launched contest August 17 to increase buzz, web traffic, younger audience, traditional, digital, & social media coverage, & partner engagement Contestants use 1 or more fuel efficiency tips from D$C website in 2-minute video; public voting for top 10 Obtained 65 videos! Eligible entrants received $25 gift card from ExxonMobil and Car Care Guide from the Car Care Council.

Video Contest Donated Prizes

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

Broadband Media Website

NEW :60 TV news storyaired 7 times on DirectTV,1.48 million viewer impressions; video sharing websites

Updated B-roll footage Creative tactic–offered B-roll, other elements to video contestants

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

National Radio ResultsRMT MAY 19 launch –Alliance & API on natl. radionetworks & syndicated shows- Fox, AP, CNN, Metro Networks, Bobby Likis’ Car Clinic 6395 Stations, 8 million listeners

Bobby Likis also featured video contest on its radio show, Youtube feed with video, website, “Tweets”

Local Radio Results

5 Radio PSAs – 926 Stations 155,599 times $17.538 million donated media 14.4 x ROI

Local radio news & talk shows Nation’s Capital – WAMU, WTOP 60 Pennsylvania stations St. Louis station – reaches 44 states at night

Total Earned Media Results 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

Social Media Results Social media – Facebook, twitter, YouTube, FlickrVideo contestants, Alliance, partners extensively used Facebook, twitter, YouTube1158 fans of the Alliance Facebook page & 750 Twitter followersMore than 665 hits to video website tracked by bit.ly resulted from "tweets“/retweet strategy by Alliance campaign managerContest promo video on video sharing websitesWinners on YouTube; all entries on YouTubeEnergy efficiency day at baseball Stadium on Flickr

Video Contest #2

Click Photo

Questions & Discussion