We’re inspired for a new year, a new message and a new normal.

But how do we get there? How do we inspire the traditionally unaware into a mindful, educated, accountable and influential user of resources? 

How do Baby Boomers fit in the world of sustainability and energy efficiency? We know these Americans were born between 1946-1964 and that they're the largest generation of Americans born in U.S. history. Today, the oldest Boomers are already in their 60’s. Why are they relevant to you? 

As roughly 25% of the US population, Gen X represents a smart target for you. As its members hit the "middle years" buying power is increasing. Combining that with a heavy emphasis on home ownership and generational values that include "benefit-driven" purchases and sustainability, it becomes clear that energy efficiency programs and solutions are relevant for this audience.   

Millennials spend more time with media than ever. The number of advertisements they are exposed to is overwhelming. They spend approximately 9.5 hours a day or 67 hours a week using media. Knowing this, how do you capture their attention and inspire them to take action? 

The industry is evolving. The customer is shifting. The rules are changing. And while electricity is still one of the most precious commodities powering every minute of our day... It's no longer simple like it used to be. 

Between distributed generation demands, net metering and technology innovations, there are hard choices for you to make, complex programs to manage, and new opportunities to navigate. 

With customer expectations and demands increasing, it is more important than ever for utilities to address the customer and their barriers to participation and satisfaction. Through a series of customer interviews (and 30 years in the industry), we know that one of the biggest barriers to participation is customer distrust in utilities. This is a direct hurdle for your customer satisfaction scores. 

The light over the bathroom sink burns out. You turn to the supply closet to grab a new one, and find your partner used the last bulb, but left the empty packaging. 

After days of shaving and applying make up under the one light that's still working... You finally remember to stop on your way home to get a new bulb... 

What's your favorite brand of petroleum?

No reply? That's what I thought. Gas is a commodity product. No one cares who they're buying it from.

Think about that for a second. 

ENERGY STAR addresses consumer demands. Do you? The brand was established in 1992 to make it easy for consumers to identify energy efficient products, and to help reduce pollutants.

Talk about success… Today, we know ENERGY STAR as the standard consumers expect. The absence of the label is likely to be more powerful than its actual presence. The brand not only gained the trust of consumers nationwide, but also created extreme behavior change over time. 

When it comes to inspiring the EE customer to participate in programs or to purchase an EE product, the typical industry message is rooted in the benefit of financial savings. And it makes sense.

Who doesn’t want to spend less on their energy bill?