In a new campaign through Motion Sickness, Frank Energy (previously Energy Online) tests its power against more expensive providers and comes out… tied.
Just one year on from its major rebrand, Frank is reporting record growth month-on-month, and all-time low churn rates.
Now, the power company is trying to keep up the momentum with a fresh new brand platform, ‘Same Energy, Probably Cheaper’, ushered in by a series of hero films, and rolled out across TV, digital and social.
In a context of rising costs, Frank has doubled down on its position as a champion against the perceived complexity of the category, without resorting to any sales incentives, proving that a compelling brand proposition can win in a category still plagued by short-term gimmicks.
Head of Brand and Marketing at Frank Energy, Michael Wood, says New Zealand’s cost of living crisis drove the shift in campaign messaging. “With many Kiwis looking to tighten their belts this year, it was the perfect time to highlight our competitive pricing and remind people that cheaper power still keeps the lights on, so why pay more”.
Through a rigorous series of controlled experiments, Frank challenges the idea of perceived value in the energy sector. Testing power against power, Frank doubles down on its value position in market, and highlights that ‘premium vs budget’ really doesn’t make a difference when it comes to power.
Jordan Stent, Creative Director at Motion Sickness, says: “We were inspired by late nights of watching ‘Will it Blend’ – keen to pull Frank into the same liminal space as that Youtube black hole. A crew of specialist hair applicators, vibration consultants, fishmongers and dedicated toast technicians all did an incredible job at helping us blur the lines of reality. The climbers who claim there are only 14 peaks, have not yet seen ‘Toast Mountain’.”
Built in the husk of an abandoned University, the purpose designed ‘Testing Lab’ provided the backdrop to the domain, and continues to explore the ‘lore of Frank’. With all variables controlled, the tests reveal a cast of oddly identical subjects, undertaking common household power tests, with the same results.
