Last week we wrote about a small player making a big break that got some attention.

This week we're focused on some names you might be slightly more familiar with.

When Amazon announced that it would acquire Whole Foods last week, the business world snapped to attention.

Both Whole Foods' and Amazon's stock prices went up.

But what does the e-commerce giant that has totally changed the way we shop mean for an industry that has been relatively the same for years?

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

What will reinvent the energy industry?

Uber is a taxi company with no vehicles.

Airbnb is a hotel company with no properties.

Amazon is a retailer with no stores.

So who is the Uber of energy? 

Well, have you heard of Drift?

An energy service company made up of former Google, Amazon and Microsoft engineers looking to reimagine the way we get our electricity.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

Ever thought a breakfast cereal could influence your perspective on marketing? 

Neither did we...until now.

Two years ago, Lucky Charms did a sweepstakes for 100 boxes filled solely with marshmallows (no oats). And the customer response was overwhelming. They wanted more marshmallows. So much so that Lucky Charms just announced a new sweepstakes for 10,000 boxes. 

At KSV, this got us thinking­–we should all be asking the question: “What’s my brand’s marshmallow?”

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

FoMO, or "fear of missing out" is defined as the apprehension or anxiety that one is not "in the know". Originally developed as a term that was applied to young people and their frantic grip on their cell phones and mindless scrolling through Facebook, we now see it in all ages.

 

It can cause depression, apathy, and a general dissatisfaction with all things in life, even the things that used to make you happy.

 

And, we're here to hypothesize, that there is a professional application to this.

 

We also want to talk about Mississippi John Hurt.

 

Hang on, this is going to be good.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

Since the beginning of the campaign trail Trump has been talking about pulling the United States out of the Paris Agreement.

After November 8, and the election Donald Trump, over 100 US companies penned a letter to the now president urging him to keep the US in the Paris Agreement.

They believe climate change is real. Along with the rest of the world.

Unlike his predecessor, Trump is choosing to ignore that.

Here’s why this could be a good thing.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

If water was dripping into your bedroom one night when it rained you'd probably get a bucket to capture the water. But eventually, maybe the next day  or the day after that you'd deal with the root cause of the issue: the leak.  

A few weeks ago, at AESP KSV got invited to join a session with utility decision makers, and we were asked (along with a couple of other smart agencies) to talk about the challenges and opportunities when utilities partner with outside agencies. 

One theme that came up is that so often marketing is leveraged to solve customer satisfaction issues when the root cause of the issue is process driven or operational. 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

This week we want to talk about adaptability… 

and TV.

What it means to “watch TV” has changed a lot over the last few years.

TV is everywhere now. 

From the flat screen in the living room to your cell phone on the go.

People don’t just sit on the couch anymore. They watch TV on their computers in bed, on their tablet at the gym and on their phones on the train.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

A few weeks ago we spoke about one of our clients, National Grid, winning big at the ENERGY STAR Awards.

 

This week we want to take the opportunity to talk about another one of our clients and the awesome success they've been experiencing.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

At AESP this week, my colleague Tucker Wright and I presented on innovation, advanced targeting for C&I customers, and inspiration. We showed work that pushed the envelope for the energy industry, and world-class brands that had redefined their category.

We had great conversations with people who see the changes coming and are inspired to act, and act now.

We made a few people uncomfortable.

But you know what comment we heard, again and again? 

“That’s great, but not for this industry.” 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

A few weeks ago we wrote about the now infamous Pepsi ad debacle and the lessons marketers could learn from it.  

 

This week Heineken showed everyone how it’s done with their ‘Worlds Apart” ad.

Some people are calling it the antidote to Pepsi’s mistake.

If you haven’t seen it, it’s certainly worth the watch.

There were no celebrities.

No dancers in the streets.

It had nothing to do with big budgets or stellar production value.

All it dealt with was reality. 

Real people with real differences.

And that’s something that can connect with the masses.

They weren’t trying to end the resistance by handing out a few Heinekens.

They were just trying to start conversations.

And they succeeded.

 

   Download the brief now.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation