The branding of energy services: A consumer goods approach to marketing energy services

Historically, utilities operated as regulated monopolies with little concern about competition. Consumers had little choice among energy suppliers. Companies providing energy efficiency services used rebates, grants, and other funds to help market products and services. Utility competition is poised to displace regulation and most financial assistance programs are gone or shrinking. Energy projects will compete for finding on an equal footing with other investments. To compete successfully energy and energy services will need distinct brand identities that clearly convey a memorable promise of benefits to the target audience. This identity must be unique enough to differentiate a company and its products from that of its competitors. Macro International has recently helped two clients brans energy products. We will discuss the benefits of branding products in an emerging energy market using these two cases as examples: alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and industrial motors efficiency programs.