SolarCity Plans Book

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Campaign Plans Book January – July 2015 Royal Empress Advertising Group

Transcript of SolarCity Plans Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campaign Plans Book January – July 2015

Royal Empress Advertising Group

 

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Table of Contents Executive Summary................................................................................................................... 3

Situational Analysis.................................................................................................................4

Focus Group Report.................................................................................................................6

SWOT............................................................................................................................................6

Profile of Target......................................................................................................................7

Campaign Objectives................................................................................................................7

Media Planning Kit....................................................................................................................8

Institutional Creative........................................................................................................... 16

Institutional Public Relations.............................................................................................19

Marketing Creative.................................................................................................................23

Marketing Public Relations..................................................................................................26

Campaign Evaluation..............................................................................................................31

About Royal Empress Advertising.......................................................................................31

Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32

Creative Institutional……………………………………………………………………………………...32

Public Relations Institutional…………………………………………………………………………36

Creative Marketing………………………………………………………………………………………….43

Public Relations Creative…………………………………………………………………………….…48

 

 

 

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Executive Summary

The following report, based on extensive primary and secondary research, has established that SolarCity needs a new, informative campaign that will reach your specific target market through a variety of different medias. Your ideal target market for this campaign is well-educated men and women ages 35-55 who make over $100,000. The driving force behind our campaign is to revolutionize the consumption of energy. We want to make it known that it is not only revolutionary because the energy itself is revolutionary; it is also the way that SolarCity is pricing energy, meaning the way that people are paying for the energy is revolutionary. We believe that this is important for your target market to understand, so we will convey this to them through the simple yet catchy slogan, “Revolutionary. Energy.” Along with this slogan, we will incorporate the idea of “the intersection of nature and technology.” Through our research, we found that most consumers did not know about solar panels or did not fully understand them and how they

work; focus group members indicated that they were uninterested due to their lack of knowledge. With this original campaign, we aspire to educate your target consumers and gain awareness of solar panels and SolarCity in general, along with enhancing the products market position. Throughout the campaign, we will utilize a wide variety of different media. During the institutional phase, we will use print ads, television spots, digital banners, airport ads, social media, news releases, a media kit, guerilla marketing and a 5k-race event. Then, in the marketing phase, we will use print ads, social media, digital banners, program sponsorship, product placement, news releases and an event to convey our message. The campaign will be executed for $6,786,440 and will run for seven months from January 1, 2015 to July 31, 2015.

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Situation Analysis

Company analysis

Based on a concept proposed by their cousin Elon Musk, brothers Lyndon and Peter Rive founded SolarCity, in 2006. The public American provider of energy services is headquartered in San Mateo, California and leads as the solar energy provider in that state. Along with sales in California, SolarCity follows a distributed service model and has business presence expanding from Hawaii to New York. The initial focus of SolarCity was on the installation of solar panels to provide energy to both residential and commercial customers; however, it’s now expanding to include the manufacture of solar panels and is purchasing the solar panel maker, Silevo. Over the years, SolarCity has been improving immensely. SolarCity predicted a rise in installations to 500 and 550 megawatts from 475-525 previously (Solomon.) It is also predicted to have three times as many employees over the course of 12 months. That makes SolarCity one of the state’s fastest-growing employers in one of its fastest growing industries (Boston Business Journal.) SolarCity focuses not on lower costs than contenders, but higher proficiency, which differentiates it from competitors (Guru Focus.)

Market analysis

The solar energy market in the United States is growing tremendously. In 2014, the United States hit a major milestone with more than half a million homes and businesses now generating solar energy. More specifically, the residential market has seen the most consistent growth of any segment for years, and it is not predicted to slow down any time soon. Since 2012, the number of installations in the residential market has more than doubled. Also, the number of non-

residential installations has nearly doubled, along with the number of utility installations quadrupling since 2012 (SEIA.) The fact that the residential market has seen the most consistent growth is very promising for SolarCity. Solar energy was the second-largest source of new electricity generating capacity in the United States, exceeded only by natural gas. Also, the cost to install solar panels has been continuously decreasing, with average system prices ending year 2013 at 15% below the prices at the end of year 2012 (SEIA.)

Product analysis

SolarCity provides energy to both residential and commercial customers. Among its primary services, the products and services that SolarCity offers are solar leasing, commercial solar, electric vehicle chargers, energy efficiency evaluations and retrofits, and manufacturing of solar panels. Solar leasing is a new option for homeowners that reduces the upfront cost of installing solar power. Commercial solar recently became more popular for SolarCity; it began actively providing solar services to business, government and non-profit customers in 2008. Electric vehicle chargers became a product of SolarCity when the company bought Clean Fuel Connections Inc. in 2009. Solarcity began offering energy efficiency evaluations and upgrades in 2010 when it acquired Building Solutions. Lastly, in 2014, SolarCity purchased Silevo and became a manufacturer of solar panels, rather than just an installer. There are several customer reviews from consumers who have invested in SolarCity products and services. Customer-oriented sites feature criticism from unhappy customers whose complaints follow a similar theme: shoddy installation, poor customer service and hidden fees. Other complaints are faulty

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explanation and poor customer service (Richards.)

Consumer analysis

Consumers on the West Coast are using solar power more than anywhere else in the United States. More specifically, consumers in California are using the most solar energy, and New Jersey, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico are not far behind (Maehlum.) Therefore, the solar panel market typically is interested in the consumers in these geographical areas. Solar panel users are not hippies like most people tend to assume. In fact, almost three quarters said they wouldn’t pursue solar energy if it weren’t for the economic benefits (Hess.)

According to Shawn Hess from WebPro News, consumers who use solar energy are moderately religious and they enjoy indulging in the summer and cranking the air conditioner. Also, most solar panel users tend to be men who have interest in cars. Lastly, the average solar homeowner is very “middle of the road” on the political 3spectrum (Hess.) Switching gears to commercial solar, over the past few years, American businesses have gone solar at an unprecedented rate. Walmart, Cotsco, Kohl’s, Apple and IKEA are just a select number of the many businesses in America who have gone solar recently (SEIA.) The fact that these well-known businesses have gone solar shows that it is becoming very popular in the commercial market.

Competitive analysis

There are many solar panel companies on the market today. SolarCity’s biggest direct competitors are REAL GOODS SOLAR, Inc., Ace Solar, Inc., and REC Solar, Inc. (Hoovers.) The mission of REAL GOODS SOLAR, Inc. is to provide solar solutions contributing to a sustainable, clean future (RGS Energy.) This

provider was founded in 1978 and is now serving homes, businesses, schools, utilities and government facilities in12 states.

The website for REAL GOODS SOLAR, Inc. displays a number of positive customer reviews and offers a free quote. The major mission of Ace Solar Inc. is to perform for their customers the highest level of quality solar energy systems, construction and installation services at fair and market competitive prices. The company provides for residential, commercial and industrial clients (Ace, LLC Solar.) The mission of REC Solar, Inc. is to make solar electricity part of the mainstream energy supply. This company provides residential, commercial, government and utility services (REC Solar.) Along with direct competitors, SolarCity has indirect competitors as well. Traditional electric companies such as Duke Energy, Dominion Resources and NextEra Energy pose a threat for SolarCity (Statista.) This threat exists due to the fact that traditional electric is more common and well known to consumers, and they believe it is more affordable. However, providing more information and educating consumers about SolarCity will help them realize and understand the benefits of solar panels.

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Focus Group Report

Focus Group Objectives

•To find out the target market’s awareness of SolarCity as a brand and their knowledge of installation, use, and manufacturing of solar panels.

•To find out what features the current target market looks for when choosing what type of energy to use and what they are looking for in an energy company.

• To figure out the best way to reach out to our current target market.

Focus Group Results

Two focus groups were held at William T. Young Library with a total of 28 participants. The group of participants were diverse and all paid electricity bills We chose a target market of well-educated men and women ages 35-55 who make over $100,000. Our target market is made up of big homes, diversified retirement accounts, and high-value life insurance.

The focus group began with a brief welcome, the introduction of team members, advise of recording and the rules. The questions in the beginning were pretty broad and then became more specific. We asked the participants about their knowledge and opinions about the environment, energy and energy providers, solar panels and solar energy, the brand SolarCity, SolarCity’s current marketing, and potential installation and use of solar panels.

After conducting two focus groups, we found that our consumers are environmentally friendly but the participants did not put much thought into choosing an energy provider. When asked about the installation of solar panels and the usage of solar energy, the participants did not know much

about solar panels or solar energy. Only two of the 28 participants had heard of SolarCity. When asked about possible usage of solar panels and solar energy, most participants said that they would need to research more about it. They said that cost was the biggest factor and that they had a high concern for the weather and how solar panels work during fall and winter months.

Since conducting the focus groups, we will use the information we found to create a campaign that is in the best interest for our target market.

SWOT Analysis

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Profile of Targets

Your ideal target market is well-educated men and women ages 35-55 who make over $100,000. The segment that we suggest is made up of big homes, diversified retirement accounts, and high-value life insurance. This wealthy segment is filled with investment-savvy Caucasians and Asians who own mutual funds, stocks, and savings bonds at high rates. With their college degrees and management jobs, they typically have high incomes and above-average investable assets. This market segment is ideal because the consumers are wealthy with financial support and will be willing and capable of investing in something long-term like solar panels. They are educated which means they will be able to understand the enduring and positive benefits and effects of solar panels. The consumers that we are seeking are most likely to be innovators or experiencers. Innovators are successful, sophisticated, take-charge people with high self-esteem. They are change leaders and are the most receptive to new ideas and technologies. This is a great target audience for SolarCity since we are trying to revolutionize the way people consume energy. Image is important to Innovators, not as evidence of status or power but as an expression of their taste, independence, and personality. We propose this target market because

SolarCity’s revolutionary solar panels can be a way for consumers to express their uniqueness and individuality. Experiencers are young, enthusiastic, and impulsive consumers who are motivated by self-expression. Their purchases reflect the emphasis that they place on looking good and having “”cool” stuff. This target market is fitting for our campaign because SolarCity’s revolutionary solar panels are a way for these consumers to have something new and “cool” that makes

them look good by saving energy. These consumers are impulsive and would be likely to purchase solar panels.

Overall Campaign Objectives

We came up with two objectives for the institutional phase, and two objectives for the marketing phase.

The first objective for the institutional phase is to increase awareness of solar panels among adults in our target audience by 30% by April 2015. The second objective for the institutional phase is to enhance SolarCity’s image to potential consumers through a charitable project by April 2015. For the marketing phase, the first objective is to increase Solar City sales in the 15 states we currently operate in by 20% by July 2015. The second objective for the marketing phase is to raise awareness of Solar City services and products by 50% by July 2015.

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Media Planning Kit

Institutional Phase Objectives

To increase awareness of Solar panels among adults in our target audience by 30% by targeting a minimum of 3 times a week by April 2015.

To enhance Solar City’s image to potential consumers through a charitable project by April 2015.

Marketing Phase Objectives

To increase Solar City sales in the 15 states we currently operate in by 20% by targeting a minimum of 3 times a week by July 2015. (Brand Awareness objective)

To raise awareness of Solar City services and products by 50% by targeting a minimum of 3 times a week by July 2015.

Traditional Media

News Releases

Print Ads

Media Kit

Digital Media

Charging Station Ad

Television Spots

Internet Banners

Social Media

Product Placement

Interactive Media

Solar City Event (Washington DC)

Solar City 5K Event (San Mateo, CA)

Gorilla Installation (Santa Monica Pier)

Program Sponsorship

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Strategies: Institutional/Marketing Phases

•Cable Television: Cable television gives us a wide range of television channels that can be accessed by a large audience. You are able to advertise shows that specifically appeal to your target market.

•Broadcast Television: Broadcast television is a great strategy to target Solar City on. Broadcast television allows us to reach an even bigger range of our target market because they are likely to watch these popular channels.

•Internet: This will allow us to reach our target consumer (men and women ages 35-55) by grabbing their attention through catchy banner advertisements.

•Social Media: Our target market is up to date with social media trends and is an easy way for us to access two-way communication.

• Press Releases: This is a great way to appeal to a general audience and display Solar City’s achievements, goals and upcoming events.

•Events:

1) First event will be located in DC in order to attract more political attention and overall national news coverage. It is meant to compare the cost of holding the event compared to if solar energy had not been used.

2) Second event will engage existing customers and potential customers that focuses on the “green” aspects of SolarCity. An interactive event that promotes health and fitness will be respectable way to engage SolarCity customers.

•Interactive Charging Station: In our targeted cities, visible charging stations in airports will allow people within our target market to see how solar energy works right before their eyes.

•Product Placement: Incorporating SolarCity into the Netflix series House of Cards will acknowledge a broad reach of viewers to come across the company and also remain familiar in their minds.

•Program Sponsorship: This will engage not only our target market, but also expand even more “talk” about SolarCity within the area of San Mateo, California. Providing demonstrations and education in regard to solar energy for young students will create knowledge of how much energy is saved at the school we chose to sponsor.

• Guerilla Installation: Installation of this photo booth will allow for cost efficient fun and exciting interaction with our target market.

•Media Kit: This kit will display knowledgeable information about SolarCity and the announcement of the new advertising campaign. This will be a cost effective medium that will target a broad range of our target audience.

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Media Rationale

Program Sponsorship

SolarCity will announce its program sponsorship with a high school in San Mateo, California where its headquarters is located. The program will be called “Solar High School” and will focus specifically on educating students about solar energy and its many benefits. This will not only start “buzz” about solar and green energy for students, but also parents and people affiliated with the school and surrounding areas. For the program, Solar City will hold a demonstration of solar panel installation and track how much energy is saved at the school over a determinable period of time. This will take place only in the Institutional phase.

Product Placement

The rationale behind this aspect of the campaign is to reach a broad range of viewers that watch the popular series; House of Cards on Netflix. Netflix is a great option for product placement because they often lower costs of advertising in exchange for products. This is one way that would easily reduce the costs compared to a traditional television show.

Cable & Broadcast Television

The rationale behind this aspect of the campaign is to reach a broad range of SolarCity’s targeted consumers. Television is an aspect that SolarCity doesn’t have a presence in, but would be a great impact for the brand. Specifically Broadcast Television works for this campaign because it is the most watched programming in America. Cable Television gives us channels like DIY and MSNBC where we can target specific types of people. Both of these ways of advertising will be on a pulsing

campaign throughout the entire duration of the 7-month campaign.

Print Advertisements

Print Advertisements is an effective way to reach our target consumers; Men and women ages 35-55 years of age. The rationale behind this aspect of the campaign is that print ads reach a broad range of our audience due to its longevity. Print advertisements also offer incredible branding, differentiation and sways trendsetters. With our targeted consumers seeing and focusing on our fascinating print ads it will drive them to also use other platforms. This portion will also be continuous throughout the entire campaign.

Internet

Because the Internet is the fastest growing advertising tool, SolarCity will benefit from having even more of an advertising presence online. With this tool, we can specifically target to audiences online by determining the most frequently visited sites and display banner ads for SolarCity on them. This portion will be continuous throughout the entire campaign.

Social Media

Social Media will be a remarkable aspect to this campaign. This advertising tool will allow SolarCity to communicate with its target audience directly. We are going to drive tweets, posts, shares and mentions for this campaign as well as event promotions and sponsored material. Targeting the specific audience through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will be an easy and effective way to drive word of mouth. Social Media is a

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perfect way for the target market to see what others are saying about the brand as well as see what SolarCity is currently doing.

News Releases

The news release will recap the 2014-year in regard to SolarCity’s accomplishments and what is to come. There will also be information about upcoming events. This will take place in the Institutional and Marketing phase.

Media Kit

This portion will exhibit the explanation of a new tagline and chapter for Solar City in regard to our innovative campaign; Revolutionary. Energy. This will include information about the founders, press mentions and press releases from 2014 that are applicable to the new direction that we are suggesting. This will kick start the campaign in January of 2015.

Events, Guerilla Installation

With events, our target audience is able to obtain hands on experience with solar energy and see what SolarCity is all about.

Charging Stations

Airport charging stations seemed like a perfect fit as a medium of getting the message behind our campaign across. We want to begin a revolution of how people generate and pay for their electricity. One way to do this is by getting our message to touch as many people as possible. By using charging stations in four of the biggest airports in America, our ads will be placed in airports that receive a combined 20 million people in foot traffic per month. This high number is perfect for

spreading awareness about our brand and what we have to offer. Even better, these airport locations have a great demographic for our product. On average, the household income for domestic travelers who go through these airports is $90,000. Nearly half of the people who pass through these airports are white, and the average age is 45 years old.

Media Tactics

Program Sponsorship

Programming SolarCity with a high school near its headquarters in San Mateo, California is a well thought out strategic idea. This will allow not only the students to gain information in regard to solar energy, but also parents and citizens in the area. This will also display installations demonstrations and allow those to understand how much energy is saved at the school from using solar power.

Product Placement

Netflix is almost as popular as cable television. Netflix is a great tactic to provide our existing customers and potential customers with product placement for SolarCity. According to an online source, Netflix currently has 33.42 million subscribers in the United States. We plan to place our product in the TV series The House of Cards opening up in February of 2015. The entire show series is released on one specific date within the month of February, which means this tactic can be very beneficial for those who enjoy watching House of Cards.

News Release

Institutional - This will be a press release designed to provide information to our consumers regarding Solar City’s services,

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products, as well as the acquisition of Silveo. It will also provide an announcement of the new marketing campaign, in addition to the events that will take place within the 7-month span.

Marketing - SolarCity will display information on a news release that announces its event that will take place within the Marketing phase. It will include specifics such as the event name, what it will consist of, the date and another necessary information. The news release will be sent out to local papers such as the San Mateo Daily Journal and put on the SolarCity website as well as social media for numerous people to see.

Events

Partnership with ACORE & ASES SolarCity will host an event in Washington, D.C., a location that it currently operates in, in partnership with ACORE (American Council on Renewable Energy- in DC) and the ASES (American Solar Energy Society –Colorado). This event will be located in DC in order to attract more political attention and overall national news coverage. From solar panel installation demonstrations, solar energy games, and speeches from prominent individuals within the solar panel industry this is sure to spread the word about SolarCity and what it has to offer.

SolarCity 5K - This exciting event will engage existing customers and potential customers that focuses on the “green” aspect of SolarCity. This event specifically promotes health and fitness would be a perfect match to strictly engage SolarCity customers.

Charging Station

For the institutional phase, during the first 4 months of the campaign the advertisements will be continuous in airports across the United States. We will place these charging stations in 4 of the most prominent airports; LAZ, Atlanta, Dallas and New York to engage as many people in our target audience as possible. With that said, our target market enjoys things that are visually appealing and technology based so this will be the perfect fit to catch their attention.

Print Advertisement

Home Power - This would be an appropriate magazine to display SolarCity print advertisements because our target market is environmentally friendly and are more apt to read about how they can help the environment at home as well.

Better Home & Garden - Better Home & Garden airs shows that specifically want to make not only homes, but also areas around your home a better and safer place. This will be a valuable way to show SolarCity targets what this company and solar energy is all about.

Do-It-Yourself - DIY would be beneficial for SolarCity to run advertisements on because the target market prefers shows that display active lifestyles that are centered around the environment.

Home Improvement - Home Improvement magazine is a great outlet for SolarCity print advertisements. It airs shows catered to adults who have families that are focused on home improvement, health and lifestyle needs, which is exactly what our target market is.

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Internet

HomePower.com - This would be an appropriate magazine to display SolarCity banner advertisements because our target market is environmentally friendly and are more apt to read about how they can help the environment at home as well.

DIY - DIY would be beneficial for SolarCity to run banner advertisements on because the target market prefers shows that display active lifestyles that are centered around the environment.

Youtube - SolarCity would benefit from displaying Internet banner advertisements on YouTube. This is simply because there are over 1 billion users that visit YouTube per day. With that said, our target and potential targets will easily be influenced by what SolarCity displays.

SolarCity.com - SolarCity will also display banner advertisements on their own website. This will allow customers going to the site to actually see our advertisements that we are using right before their eyes.

Social Media - Solar City will benefit extremely from using this tactic. Having more of an online presence will target our consumers more effectively seeing that they are high technology users. This portion will include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Cable Television

MSNBC - MSNBS provides stories that our target market will be interested in and truly care about. Since the target market is well educated, obtain a high income and are sophisticated advertising to their needs will be beneficial. MRI plus shows that those with a higher income and within our targeted age

range are 34 percent more likely to watch this channel. With that said, our target market will easily be targeted from watching MSNBC.

DIY - DIY would be beneficial for SolarCity to television spots on because the target market prefers shows that display active lifestyles that are centered around the environment.

Broadcast Network Television

CBS - Network television audiences are growing every year. SolarCity will greatly reach their target market by using the ever so popular, CBS. According to an online source, 22.5 billion people watch broadcast evening shows and news on this channel. This will easily influence our targets all over the United States.

ABC - ABC as of this year (2014) saw the most overall growth in Network Television. Numerous people across the United States are tuned into shows and news that are aired on ABC. Using this channel will greatly benefit SolarCity in reaching its target audience.

NBC - NBC is a very popular Network Television spot in the United States as well. Using NBC as well as the others will reach broad audiences reaching from California to New York.

Media Kit

SolarCity’s media kit along with it’s news releases will both be on SolarCity’s website, as well as distributed to major news channels. These include CNN, NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, MSNBC, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, NY Times, LA Times and USA Today. Covering all of those major news

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channels will reach a broad range of consumers all of the US.

Guerilla Installation

Using a solar powered photo booth in a prominent area like the Santa Monica pier will be extremely interactive and beneficial for SolarCity. Photos will print out with a SolarCity logo on them and users then can upload their photos to different social media platforms for a chance to win SolarCity gear.

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Budget Allocation

For this campaign we are using the objective task method. We established media objectives and then determined the cost after achieving these objectives. For the entire 7-month campaign we are suggesting a budget of 6 million dollars. We have allocated the budget in the areas of institutional and marketing phases. This budget includes all production costs as well as media costs.

Below are the production costs for each phase:

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Creative Strategy – Institutional Phase

Objective: To increase the awareness of solar panels among adults in our target audience 30% by April 2015.

Strategy: We will attempt to expose our audience to SolarCity marketing materials at least three times a week throughout the institutional phase.

Tactic: With an educational emphasis, we will produce a :30 second TV spot that explains the simplicity of switching to solar energy with SolarCity.

With a straightforward approach, we will create an airport ad that clearly shows the biggest advantage to switching to SolarCity – saving money every month.

Through a body-copy heavy print ad, we will describe how solar panels work while still keeping the consumer entertained and attentive.

Objective: To enhance the image of SolarCity to our target audience by April 2015.

Strategy: To accomplish this, we want to ensure our target sees our company logo multiple times a week and associates it with positive marketing materials.

Tactic: A digital banner ad that helps give off a positive attitude toward our consumer, encouraging them about our brand and what we have to offer.

A print ad that appeals to the emotions, as well as the logic, of our consumer.

Airport Ad

This airport ad will be displayed in four major airports throughout the country, guaranteeing it is seen by a plethora of our target. We want to convey to them that switching to solar energy not only allows them to help the planet, but it will actually save them money, something we found to be a common misconception during our focus groups. The other misconception that we found? That switching to solar energy is expensive. We address both issues in this ad.

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Digital Banner Ad

Our digital banner ad will be displayed on various websites that our target visits. We felt it important to display to them our logo, making it clear who we are. We want to produce a connection within our audience that when they see our company, they can let their guard down, because we can be trusted. This banner ad gives a call to action and includes a hyperlink to the website.

Print Ad One With this ad, we wanted to address to our audience the

simplicity that comes with switching to solar energy. We want them to see this ad, be in awe of the image, then read the body copy and feel that it makes more sense to become a SolarCity

customer than to continue on with what they are currently doing for energy.

Print Ad Two

For our second print ad, we are going extremely heavy on body copy. In fact, it is the only thing this ad has. We put the company logo on the top and bottom, slightly larger on the bottom, to make it clear whom the ad is from. Other than that, it is just white text on a black screen. We feel the minimalistic design helps to draw in the reader, making them feel at home and making it easier for them to bring to life the setting that the ad describes.

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TV Spot

In our: 30 second TV spot, we help to push through the idea that switching to solar energy with SolarCity is being part of an energy revolution, which is the basis of the ad. We begin by giving them a journey through time, with the culmination being a comparison between SolarCity and other great revolutions in American history. The spot helps to showcase the ease that comes with switching to SolarCity, which again we feel paramount to the success of the campaign.

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Institutional Public Relations

News Release - Recap of 2014 for SolarCity

Objective: To increase the publics knowledge of the accomplishments, innovations, and expansion of SolarCity in 2014.

Strategy: Produce a news release highlighting the benchmark year SolarCity had in 2014.

Tactics: Distribute the news release to major national publications (The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The L.A. Times, and USA Today). In addition, the news release will be distributed to major national news channels (CNN, NBC, ABC, FOX News, and CBS). The news release will also be made available on SolarCity’s website.

Social Media - Multiplatform Social Media Campaign (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

Objective: To educate the public on SolarCity’s “5 Steps to Solar” initiative.

Strategy: Create unique and shareable content for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram explaining the quick and easy “5 Steps to Solar” while simultaneously promoting the financial benefits of solar power with SolarCity.

Tactics: Post bi-weekly content on all three social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) with promoted and boosted posts, as well as promoted hashtags such as “#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity”.

Guerrilla Marketing - Santa Monica Pier Photobooth Installation

Objective: To introduce SolarCity and solar power to a younger generation.

Strategy: Install a SolarCity solar powered photobooth on the Santa Monica Pier.

Tactics: Incentivize passersby to stop in at the photobooth with information about SolarCity and the “5 Steps to Solar” on the outside of the booth, as well as information about a photo contest with the opportunity to win prizes when one uses “#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity” on Instagram.

Media Kit

Objective: To educate the media on the new tagline and direction of SolarCity in 2015.

Strategy: Produce a media kit with information about SolarCity’s new tagline and direction, bios about

SolarCity’s key executives, and press releases and articles highlighting SolarCity’s past year and plans for 2015.

Tactics: Distribute the media kit to major national publications (The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The L.A. Times, and USA Today). In addition, the media kit will be distributed to major national news channels (CNN, NBC, ABC, FOX News, and CBS). The media kit will also be made available on SolarCity’s website.

Event - GivePower 5K

Objective: To promote a healthy lifestyle and involve SolarCity customers and supporters in the GivePower Foundation.

Strategy: Host a 5K run starting at SolarCity’s San Mateo, California, headquarters benefiting the GivePower Foundation.

Tactics: Charge race participants a $30 entry fee in order to fund a solar power system for a school in Nepal through the GivePower Foundation. SolarCity t-shirts, hats, and sunglasses will also

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be available for purchase with all the proceeds going to the GivePower Foundation. The 5K will be hosted by Elon Musk and will bepromoted through the use of social media and the hashtags “#GivePower5K” and “#SolarCity”.

News Release

Social Media

Multiplatform Social Media Campaign (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram): 5 Steps To Solar

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Guerrilla Marketing

The Santa Monica Pier sees over six million visitors a year whether they live in the area or are in town on vacation. The pier is the perfect place to enact some guerrilla marketing on the behalf of SolarCity. Southern California has the ideal amount of sun exposure to promote the use of solar panels in a successful way.

SolarCity will place a solar powered photobooth on the Santa Monica Pier Boardwalk. The outside of the photobooth will have the SolarCity logo painted all across it, as well as information on the “5 Steps to Solar”. Other interesting and educational facts about solar energy and SolarCity will be printed across the photobooth, including the fact that the photobooth is powered by the solar panels.

Specialized and unique hashtags, “#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity”, will also be on the outside with information about a photo contest with SolarCity. Instagram users can upload the photos they take in the SolarCity Photobooth with the hashtags, “#5StepsToSolar” and “#SolarCity”, for the chance to win t-shirts, sunglasses, hats, and other SolarCity products.

The paper printouts of the photos will be printed on recycled paper that has the SolarCity logo, unique hashtags, and website printed on them. Taking photos in the photobooth will cost $0.50 with all of the proceeds going to the GivePower Foundation.

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Media Kit

Event

In addition to promoting the use of clean energy, SolarCity will be promoting a healthy lifestyle through hosting a 5K with all of the proceeds of the event going to the GivePower Foundation and in turn donating a solar power system to provide energy to a school in Nepal.

The GivePower 5K will take place on April 11, 2015, starting at the SolarCity headquarters in San Mateo, California. Elon Musk will be the master of ceremonies and will announce the start of the race, as well as how much money is raised during the 5K. There will be a $30 entry fee, with the goal of having 1,200 participants so that the funding of a solar system for Nepal can become a reality.

Race participants will receive a t-shirt with the “Revolutionary. Energy.” tagline on the front, with “GivePower. SolarCity.” on the back. Friends and family of race participants will be able to purchase t-shirts, hats, and sunglasses featuring the SolarCity logo as well as new taglines. The taglines offered will be “Revolutionary. Energy.”, “Harness the Sun. GivePower.”, and “The Intersection of Nature & Tech”. All of the proceeds made from the sales of SolaCity t-shirts, hats, and sunglasses at the event will also go to the funding of the solar system in Nepal.

Promotion of the event in the weeks leading up to it will include social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the unique and promoted hashtags, “#GivePower5K” and “#SolarCity”, which will also be used for pictures and posts during the actual event. Other promotion will include an e-mail blast to SolarCity customers, ambassadors, and staff. As well as flyers posted around the San Mateo community.

We’ll be able to measure the success of the event through the number of participants and the money raised towards funding the solar system in Nepal. If the event is successful SolarCity can host events in other locations in California, and on the East Coast to introduce to SolarCity and the GivePower foundation to potential new customers and supporters while promoting clean energy and a healthy lifestyle.

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Creative Strategy – Marketing Phase

The overall mission for the creative marketing phase of the campaign will be increasing sales within the states in which SolarCity currently operates. The campaign will run from May 1st through July 31st and will utilize the following media platforms: • Print – two print ads, full page, color • Television- 30 second spot • Internet - Banner • Social Media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Rationale: Our target is a mix of middle-aged Americans and marginal Milleninals. The audience is accustomed to both traditional forms of media, such as print and television, and contemporary, such as Social media. Using diverse forms of media is vital to maximizing the amount of people within our audience that becomes familiar with the campaign.

Print Ad One

Print Ad one will be a long copy advertisement that will explain the positives installing solar panels onto their homes. It is assumed, if it is not understood, that initial costs of Solar panels can be expensive, so any decision to make the change will be one made out of logic. Our target is critical thinkers and will need all the necessary information to feel assured in this purchase. The first print ad will run from May 1st-June 30th.

Print Ad Two

Print Ad two will be a short copy advertisement which will use the season, Summer, to assist in the sale of the advertisement. This ad will take a more clever approach to the sale of SolarCity solar panels, while never losing a sense of

practicality. The second print ad will run from July 1st-31st. Both print ads will run in Better Home and Garden magazine, Do It Yourself Magazine and Home Improvement Magazine.

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Television

For the entire length of the marketing phase, we will run a television advertisement. The television ad will reiterate the function and positives of solar panels and will demonstrate the evolution of the energy industry. The overall message of the spot will be that solar panels are the latest form of energy. Consent to use the the song “Dawn of Man” will have to be gained from the Metro Godlwyn-Mayer film studio. The spot will run twice weekly on the following networks:

• MSNBC: Our target is well educated and will have already become familiar with solar panels and their function. The target will also understand the importance of solar energy, so they are also liberal. MSNBC is the network most liberals use to gain information on current events, making it a natural platform for the ad. The spot will run during the 8 pm time slot.

• DIY: Viewers of the Do-It-Yourself Network are home improvement enthusiasts and are receptive to modifications to their homes. When a person wants to renovate their home, they will want the latest and best of everything involved, giving SolarCity an opportunity to appeal to the viewers. The advertisement will run during the 8 pm time slot.

• CBS: This is in effort to capture the attention of many people

that may not have seen the advertisement on the previous two channels. America’s top network, CBS is a guarantee to garner viewership. Showing the spot on CBS is casting the net far and wide as possible. • Youtube: The television ad will also run on videos related to the content shown on MSNBC, DIY, and CBS.

Internet

For the entire length of the marketing phase, we will use an internet banner advertisement. The ad will be placed on the top of each home page on the following sites:

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DIY: The official website of Do-It-Yourself, the viewers of this site are people that are interested in home improvement and are more likely to be open to solar panel installation. Youtube: One of the most popular sites on the internet, advertising on Youtube is an ideal way to insure the ad will be seen. SolarCity: The official website of SolarCity, displaying our internet banner on our site will not only be free, but will help bring the marketing phase full circle.

Social Media

For the length of the marketing phase, social media will be utilized. Social media will be used to relate to our audience, who unlike most people in this age range, are more tech savvy. The social pages will inform the target of the latest at SolarCity and convince them it is the most modern means of power. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the choice social sites for this phase and all three will be use the tag “ Energy Evolved”.

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Marketing Public Relations

News Release – Power the Capitol Objective: To inform the public in Washington DC of the “Power the Capitol” event. Strategy: Promote the event through SolarCity’s website and social media outlets and local media in the DC area. Tactic: Prepare a news release to be sent out on the website/social media and The Washington Post. Event – Power the Capitol Objective: To present SolarCity and solar energy to the public in a positive and interactive way. Strategy: Show the versatility of solar panels and what they can be used to power. Tactic: Hold an all ages event with solar powered food trucks & games and include key players from the solar industry. Program Sponsorship Objective: To increase awareness of SolarCity with our target audience. Strategy: Atrract attention of target audience by involving their children. Tactic: Sponsor a program at a local high school that educates students on solar energy and its benefits so that they willl share their knowledge and experience with their parents, who in turn will become interested in solar energy with SolarCity at the top of their mind. Product Placement Objective: To promote SolarCity to a mass audience, making the company name more commonly familiar.

Strategy: Incorporate SolarCity product placement into a relevant television show. Tactic: Purchase a spot on the Netflix original series, “House of Cards,” that will incorporate SolarCity into a 3-episode span related to the energy bills in Washington DC. News Release – Solar High School Objective: To inform the San Mateo area about the Solar High School program sponsorship. Strategy: Promote the program through the SolarCity website and social media outlets as local media. Tactic: Prepare a news release to be sent out on the SolarCity website and social media outlets and the San Mateo Daily Journal.

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News Release

SolarCity will send out a news release on May 25, 2015, that will announce it’s event in Washington DC, “Power the Capitol,” that it will be co-hosting with the American Solar Energy Society and the American Council on Renewable Energy. This is about three weeks prior to the actual event. The news release will discuss what the event entails as well as event specifics including date, time, and location. It will also announce guest speakers Elon Musk and Gregory Kats. The news release will be available on the SolarCity website and be sent to the Washington Post. Links to the news release on the SolarCity website will be tweeted via the SolarCity account, ACORE account, ASES account, and the Washington Post’s account.

Event

In an effort to attract politicol attention and increase awareness of SolarCity and its solar panels, the company will co-host an event in Washington DC, a location that it currently operates in. The other co-hosts will be the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). ASES is an associastion of solar professionals, advocates and enthusiasts that is dedicated to inspiring an era of energy innovation and is involved in many projects that promote solar technologies. ACORE is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to building a secure and prosperous future with clean, renewable energy. It provides an educational platform focusing on technology, finance, policy and market development. Together, SolarCity, ASES and ACORE create a triple threat team of solar focused power that will be able to bring education and resources to existing customers as well as potential customers.

The event will take place on Saturday, June 13, 2015 in Lincoln Park at 2 p.m. It will be a festival that is friendly for all ages. There will be games for children, live music, solar panel demonstrations, and food trucks that will be powered by SolarCity solar panels. The event will also feature speeches delivered by prominent members of the solar technology community. Elon Musk, chairman of SolarCity will speak about common misconceptions the public tends to have on residential solar panels and the ways that SolarCity has and is working to solve them. Gregory Kats, founder of ACORE, will deliver a speech on the importance of getting involved with the solar movement and ways people can further their knowledge on the subject. Having these industry key players will attract a crowd and media attention.

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The event will be promoted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook through various accounts. SolarCity, ASES, ACORE and the Washington Post will tweet an image of event details along with posting the image on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag, “#PowerTheCapitol” to help track impressions. The success of the event can be measured by how many people show up to the event and participate in the activities. A rough estimate will be able to be made based upon the amount of social media interaction the hashtag receives and the amount of times the promotional image gets shared.

Program Sponsorship SolarCity will introduce a new program they will sponsor called “Solar High School” that focuses on educating students about the benefits of solar energy and allows them to have hands on experience while learning about the solar technology industry. The program will include demonstrations that show students what makes up solar panels, how they are installed, and an explanation of the science behind turning sunlight into energy. For the program, SolarCity will install solar panels at the school and keep track of how much energy and money is saved from using those panels. The program will run from May 1, 2015 until the conclusion of the school year, when the panels will be removed from the school. Following the program, the school will have the option to purchase panels from SolarCity if they choose to do so. The first location for Solar High School has been selected as Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, CA., home of the Padres. Junipero Serra is located 1.7 miles from SolarCity’s headquarters, making it simple for monitoring the panels in the program’s first exectution. Junipero Serra is a private Catholic school in the area and has a tuition of $18,830 per year. This will have the potential to reach our target audience through their children or grandchildren.

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The program will be announced through a news release as well as on the Junipero Serra High School website. There will be an advertisement placed on the school’s website that will include a link to SolarCity’s website where it will explain the program sponsorship in more detail for students, parents, or community members that find themselves curious about Solar High School.

Product Placement

House of Cards is a political drama television show that’s created by Netflix, the online streaming site. The show has grown to be incredibly popular since its release in February of 2013 and takes place in Washington DC. The show is set to discuss energy bills in the upcoming third season that will be released in February of 2015.

SolarCity will purchase a spot on the Netflix original series and in exchange, its solar panels and company name will be featured in a 3-episode span. Netflix has more than 44 million subscribers worldwide. In its first year, House of Cards was viewed by 2 percent of subscribers. In the second season, 6 percent watched, equaling out to about 41.4 million subcribers that viewed at least one episode of season 2. About 33.1 percent of Netflix subscribers are in the United States. The amount of people that would be exposed to SolarCity through House of Cards is immense. It will be promoted on Instagram and Twitter through various SolarCity’s accounts as well as Netflix’s accounts.

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News Release

SolarCity will send out a news release on May 1, 2015 that announces its program sponsorship with Junipero Serra High School called, “Solar High School.” The news release will explain the program and it’s goals along with how to apply to become the next Solar High School.

The news release will be available on the SolarCity website and sent out to the San Mateo Daily Journal, a local newspaper where SolarCity HQ and Junipero Serra High School are both located.

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Campaign Evaluation

At the end of our seven-month campaign, Royal Empress Advertising intends to conduct evaluative research, to make sure that the campaign met all the objectives. As we have events, print and television advertisements, banner advertisements, social media, etc., there are many different ways we will measure our campaign’s success. For the “GivePower 5K” event, the event’s success will be measured by how many people participate in the 5K and how much money is raised. For the Internet banner advertisement, we will track how many consumers click the Internet advertisement on websites such as YouTube. For social media we will track the consumers’ involvement with the social media accounts and how many new followers each social media outlet gains during the campaign. For the charging stations in the airports we will keep track of how many consumers use the charging stations and how much money is saved using solar energy, when using these stations. During the evaluation, the campaign’s success will be measured in sales, profits, and increase of consumers.

About Royal Empress Advertising Group

Established in 2014, Royal Empress Advertising was founded with the goal of creating and implementing new, innovative campaigns. Royal Empress approaches every campaign with dedication to the clients and respect for the public. Each member of our highly skilled team treats each every task with passion and develops well crafted approaches that are sure to address the needs of our clients and partners. There are many agencies, but none like Royal Empress.

The Team

Camille  Farrell Account  Executive

Mariah  Rhodes

Associate  Account  Executive  

Lauren  Cox Media  Director

 Katherine  McCarthy

Director  of  Institutional  Public  Relations

Zachary  Knight Institutional  Creative  Director

 Sachi  Howard

Directior  of  Marketing  Public  Relations  

Dalan  Overstreet Creative  Marketing  Director

 

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Appendix

Creative – Institutional

Airport Ad

Digital Banner Ad

  33  

Print Ad One

  34  

Print Ad Two

  35  

TV Spot

  36  

Public Relations – Institutional

News Release

  37  

Social Media

  38  

Guerrilla Marketing

  39  

Media Kit

  40  

Media Kit

  41  

Media Kit

  42  

Event

  43  

Creative – Marketing

Print Ad One

  44  

Print Ad Two

  45  

Television Spot

  46  

Internet Banner Ad

  47  

Social Media

  48  

Public Relations – Marketing

News Release

 

  49  

Event

Program Sponsorship

  50  

Product Placement

  51  

News Release

 

  52