:: Winning Strategies :: New Jersey Energy Choice Case Study

CASE STUDY

Utility Education Committee
New Jersey Energy Choice

In 1999, New Jersey injected competition into the markets for electricity and natural gas with an energy restructuring law. The law created the Utility Education Committee to familiarize consumers with the benefits open to them under the new law.

The Committee selected Winning Strategies to develop an educational campaign explaining the changes to consumers. The campaign had very specific goals: To create an energy restructuring awareness level of 65 percent among all market segments; a 40 percent “correct knowledge” awareness among core markets; and a 25 percent level of conscious decisions made to switch or not switch among energy suppliers. The program effectively required that Winning Strategies contact every consumer in New Jersey, especially African-Americans and Latinos.

An information campaign directed at consumers through newspapers, television and radio was developed. Large blocks of advertising were placed on broadcast and cable television and radio stations in New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia. Sixteen full-page newspaper ads and three, four-color, four-page inserts appeared in each of the state's 22 daily newspapers. A direct mail brochure was sent to every consumer in the state.

Separate communication initiatives were designed for minority consumers. A bilingual, toll-free call center and a web site in eight languages were established to provide detailed answers to consumer questions.

Result
After each year of the three-year campaign, an outside consultant measured its effectiveness. The New Jersey Energy Choice campaign exceeded its original targets. It reached an awareness level of 85 percent, 20 points higher than its target; a 51 percent "correct knowledge" level, exceeding its target by 11 points; and a 45 percent decision-making level, almost double its original goal.