Genesis Energy, the largest electricity and gas retailer in the country, announced yesterday that it would not be knocking on doors and offering switching sweeteners after a survey showed, lo and behold, that New Zealanders found the practice intrusive and annoying. So it’s launched a campaign via .99 and justONE that asks Kiwis to return the favour and go knocking on Genesis Energy’s door when they begin their search.
Genesis Energy’s general manager marketing, Chris Watney, says research commissioned by the energy provider and conducted by Perceptive showed that 81 percent of Kiwis don’t like door- to-door salespeople coming to their home and two thirds of New Zealanders would like door-to-door sales to stop completely. It also showed that some New Zealanders were dealing with more than 36 sales people a year knocking on their door. So, in keeping with its ‘In it for you’ brand campaign launched last year, it pulled the pin on the practice, despite the fact that it was a steady stream of customer acquisition.
“The more we looked into it and took people’s opinions into consideration, the more we realised stopping it was the right thing to do. We care about what New Zealanders want and so the shift we’ve made reflects that,” Watney says.
Ben Goodale, managing director .99 and justONE, says it wants Kiwis to know they’re in charge “and can knock on Genesis Energy’s door as and when they want to”.
The campaign will be launched primarily via a new TVC, and supported through digital, press, in-mall, radio and direct channels. Customers can find out about offers via new and improved online channels. And, as the Electricity Authority has shown in recent years, they can also check out whether those offers stack up by heading to whatsmynumber.org.nz
Genesis Energy’s subsidiary Energy Online will also be stopping door to door sales.
According to the NBR, Genesis, which was the last of the state-owned energy companies to be sold down, “had about 655,580 customers as at March 31, including 530,718 electricity customers, or 27 percent of the market”.
Credits
Client – Genesis Energy
Chris Watney, General Manager, Marketing
Sara Johnson – Marketing and Customer Communications Manager
Michael Summers-Gervais – Product and Customer Analytics Manager
Melissa Grantham – Marketing Manager
Jo Murphy – Brand Manager
Rupert Farrow – Head of Online
Roxann Tillie – Digital Marketing Executive
Agency – .99 and justONE
Kathryn Thomas, Managing Partner – Strategy
Jodene Murphy, Planning Manager
Craig Whitehead, Chief Creative Officer
Amy Watson, Managing Partner – justONE
Chris Long, Creative Group Head
Amy Cattanach, Art Director
Jon Tricklebank, Head of Design
Stu Hinds, Creative Director, justONE
Rachel Aikin, Group Account Director
Debra Ramsay – Account Director
Anna Hampton, Account Manager
Mel Coventry, Senior Account Director, justONE
Vicki O’Leary – Head of TV Production
Amanda Sasano – Motion Graphics Editor
Simeon Patience – Director, Photographer
Rebecca Piggins – Photography Producer
