Context
PrepayPower approached us to help launch their new pay-as-you-go energy brand, Avid Energy, in the UK. We were stepping into a David vs. Goliath scenario, where the market was tightly controlled by giants. British Gas dominated, followed by five major players—SSE, Scottish Power, NPower, EON, and EDF Energy. Beyond that, the remaining 10% was splintered between smaller suppliers like OVO, Octopus, Utilita, and Utility Warehouse.
Audience Problem
Let’s face it: customers see energy providers as one and the same. They think of them as big, complicated, and uncaring. When it comes to picking a supplier, customers generally don’t care who it is—they just know they don’t trust them. Energy is confusing, with estimated bills and jargon that feels intentionally obscure. This lack of transparency has convinced people that all providers are cut from the same cloth, so why bother switching?
Creative Challenge
Our task? Making Avid Energy stand out in a crowded market, despite starting with no brand recognition, no established message, and a lingering bias against pay-as-you-go energy. Many consumers still see pay-as-you-go as downmarket, inconvenient, and old-fashioned. So how could we break through all that and make Avid Energy relevant?
Insight
Here’s the thing: people don’t need to like you to respect you. We’re not about to make customers fall in love with an energy provider. Frankly, they don’t care enough. But there is a way to earn respect—and that’s by telling it like it is. Even if the truth isn’t all sunshine, people respect honesty and directness.
Strategy Platform
So, here was our angle: Avid Energy wasn’t here to sweet-talk customers. It was here to bring honesty to a sector that’s anything but. Avid Energy tells it straight: pay-as-you-go energy, just as it is.
Creative Idea
Avid Energy. Makes Sense.
The energy market is full of nonsense. Confusing bills, murky T&Cs, and those absurd “estimates.” Energy doesn’t have to be hard, though. So we cut through the noise and got straight to the point, positioning Avid as a provider customers could trust. By calling out the nonsense of traditional providers, we could shine a light on the practicalness of Avid.
This clear, no-nonsense approach reflects exactly what the market is missing and is a perfect fit for Avid’s offering: pay-as-you-go energy. It’s the simplest, most user-friendly way to manage energy on the market.
Results
61% sales volume increase from March to April 2018
“We are delighted with the campaign and have high hopes it will drive the overall brand and performance. The process, end to end, was seamless, and we enjoyed working together.”
Margaret O’Connor
Head of Marketing, Avid Energy
