Balloon
Energy Savings Trust
Issue 2 | July 2008
Agency
Tullo Marshall Warren
Creative Team
John Aitchison - Copywriter;Mickey Madgett - Art Director
Production Team
Barry Redford - Designer; Chris Dale - Production
Other Credits
Lisa Vigurs - Account Supervisor
Date
October 2006
Background
By 2010 the Government has set itself the target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20%. Getting people who live in Housing Associations and Council Houses to make small changes in their homes could go a long way to meeting that target. Empowering tenants through housing association representatives was seen as an obvious way to reach the tenants.
The Tenant Empowerment Training Toolkit is an inspiring way to get the message across - because it doesn't just educate them about CO2 emissions, but includes information and practical tips on how to be more energy efficient, saving them money and making their homes more comfortable. The aim of this campaign was to encourage housing associations to contribute to the Government's CO2 reduction targets, by getting their representatives to send for a toolkit to help educate their tenants about energy efficiency in the home.
Idea
The creative approach was intended to be fun, innovative and designed to deliver the message in a memorable way. 'Less hot air, more action', says the label on the big white box. On opening, a balloon rises out of the box on which is written, ‘Leaving a light on for just 40 minutes releases this much CO2 into the atmosphere.’ At the end of a ribbon attached to the balloon is a personalised leaflet that explains how housing associations can do their bit to reduce carbon emissions by educating their tenants about energy efficiency using a specially created 'Tenant empowerment training toolkit'.
Results
89% (406) of those mailed ordered a tenant empowerment training toolkit. Research showed that 96% of those who had attended training sessions using the toolkit had changed their energy behaviour.
Target Audience
Representatives of Housing Associations across the UK.
Size
450 packs
Our Thoughts
Plenty of people have written about greenhouse gases and how we’re all doomed but it’s been easy to ignore the warnings - until now - because no-one has actually shown us the problem. The ingeniousness of this mailing is in making memorably visual what have largely been just bandied words.