Case study

Launching the Clean Power Alliance Brand

TEC designed the brand, developed customer messaging and provided all marketing and outreach support needed to launch the Clean Power Alliance brand and enroll over one million electric customers in the largest Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) in California.

Communities across California are forming Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs), with a majority of California’s power consumers projected to be served by CCAs in the next 10 years. The largest CCA yet, Clean Power Alliance, brings together 31 Southern California cities and counties to support locally powered energy innovation. When Clean Power Alliance began launching service for their 3+ million customers, they sought a partner with a deep understanding of their diverse member communities to help develop their brand and educate their customers on the benefits community choice can bring to families, businesses, and communities.

The Challenge

As community choice aggregation has spread and flourished throughout the state, it has been plagued by misinformation and fear-mongering. Clean Power Alliance needed to launch quickly amidst this politically charged atmosphere, with a brand that conveyed the professionalism of an organization serving millions of people while differentiating themselves from the less friendly and sometimes boring branding of typical investor-owned utilities. They needed a partner to minimize program “opt outs” and set them on a path to building an engaged energy community throughout their diverse service territory.

Our Strategy

TEC worked quickly to identify the core elements of the Clean Power Alliance brand. Then, in close collaboration with Clean Power Alliance staff, the Communications & Outreach Board Subcommittee, and our subconsultants, we engaged in an iterative process to develop everything from letterhead and business cards to a communications plan, multi-lingual website, enrollment mailers distributed to over a million customer accounts, and tools and templates for member agency communications. We’ve worked in phases to get Clean Power Alliance the materials and information they need when they need it, without getting ahead of stakeholder input process of a publicly-accountable organization.

Results: customers trust Clean Power Alliance with high retention rates for electricity service

To date, Clean Power Alliance has achieved low opt out rates, meaning eligible customers have joined Clean Power Alliance and not elected to remain with Southern California Edison service. This community participation means Clean Power Alliance has the resources to pursue their mission and power local energy innovation.

400

Over 400 customized collateral pieces developed

3 million

Customers with new cost-competitive clean energy choices

What’s Next

For the first time, Clean Power Alliance customers now have a choice when it comes to their energy provider. Clean Power Alliance provides affordable clean energy options while reinvesting funds in innovative projects and programs in the community, and our marketing support helped them connect with their customers, communicate their value, and drive program participation. Learn more about Clean Power Alliance at cleanpoweralliance.org.

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