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ENERGY BUCKS (LEAN)
A Message Unheard Until We Turned Up the Heat
Thanks to funding from the government and local utility companies, more than 800,000 Massachusetts residents are eligible for federally mandated programs that can help them save as much as 30 percent on energy costs, yet fewer than 30 percent of them participate. None of the Commonwealth's major investor-owned utility companies had been able to penetrate this hard-to-reach population segment, so they banded together with the Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN) and the Massachusetts Association for Community Action Programs (MASSCAP) (collectively “The Partnership”) to raise awareness of and participation in these cost-saving programs. The utility partners include National Grid (formerly Massachusetts Electric Company), NSTAR Electric & Gas, Cape Light Compact, Unitil Corporation, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, KeySpan Energy Delivery, and Bay State Gas.
Working with the Partnership and our advertising partner, SM& created “Energy Bucks” in 2003 — an integrated branding campaign to build awareness of the availability of existing energy efficiency and discount services. We developed the logo, an electronic information kit, an English/Spanish website, and distinctive print, radio and transit advertising. Rather than waiting for the fall to launch, we started early — very early. To reach low-income, multilingual families, we signed on to four summer festivals in August, where we manned an Energy Bucks table with bilingual staff from Community Action Programs (CAPs), utility representatives and members of the SM& Energy Bucks team, who worked the crowd to get people to stop by our booth. In sweltering heat, we held a raffle for a free Energy Star air conditioner, gave away popsicles and balloons to families, and passed out information in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
We organized 14 more launch events in target communities and appealed to local media by providing numerous angles at each event. We focused on energy efficiency and featured several Partnership representatives, who offered tips and demonstrations to show people how to save money while keeping their houses warmer. Our solid relationships with the CAPs helped us find Energy Bucks clients who felt empowered to tell their stories, ranging from senior citizens who received new refrigerators for free to a woman whose energy audit discovered a deadly carbon monoxide leak. We also presented elected officials to discuss legislative efforts to support fuel assistance.
Our efforts resulted in thousands of people visiting the Energy Bucks website, increased awareness among policymakers, and several major media placements and television spots. State and federal legislators continue to be extremely supportive of Energy Bucks, mentioning the program on local talk shows and using the campaign's information and links in their newsletters and websites.
Now in its fourth year, we have planned and executed more grassroots efforts than ever, with six summer festivals and many more informational events at community health fairs, senior centers and libraries. We remain committed to our work with community partners, schools and local legislators to spread the word and generate “heat” by expanding the campaign.
