To achieve the enormous reductions in carbon dioxide emissions that are needed to solve the climate crisis, society need systemic change. Vattenfall, a Swedish energy company, aims to lead the change towards a fossil free future by removing fossil fuels from all parts of society and showcase the fossil free possibilities available today, targeting both the public and industries.
One of the many ways Vattenfall drives systematic change is though innovation. Like fossil-free hydrogen technology reducing CO2 emissions by 7% in the steel industry. Revolutionary - but sure sounds super boring.
Our challenge was to create attention around the innovation to strengthen the business-critical KPIs, ultimately strengthening brand consideration.
The topic of systemic change
The topic of systemic change, or industry and energy innovations, is typically seen as uninteresting and too complex to grasp. Most people lack genuine interest in energy innovations and the systemic changes necessary for global sustainability. And with Vattenfall operating in a low-interest category, does not make it easier to overcome this challenge. We set out to create something that would capture people’s interest in the technology and provide concrete evidence of its effectiveness. This was not a simple task, given the increased climate pessimism towards brands’ sustainability claims.
In the heavy industry sector
In the heavy industry sector, the challenge of sustainability is twofold: reducing actual environmental impact and shifting public perception of industry emissions. Our qualitative research revealed there are basically only negative connotations when it comes to large industries. Dirty emissions are always part of the equation.
However, Vattenfall stands out with its fossil free hydrogen technology, which only emits water as its byproduct. The strategic insight emerged from connecting this innovation with a universal desire for cleanliness – something that resonated across various consumer interests, including the skincare category. We discovered that our target audience place immense value on pure, clean, sustainable ingredients for their skin – a direct parallel to Vattenfall’s clean emissions.
Our insight was as simple as powerful: with Vattenfall’s technology, industry emissions are in fact water. The emissions are so clean that you can put them on your skin
The insight led to a strategic pivot
The insight led to a strategic pivot: positioning Vattenfall’s emissions as not just environmentally friendly, but as just as pure and beneficial as the ingredients in your skincare products. This allowed us to engage with our audience on familiar ground, using a narrative that aligns Vattenfall’s fossil free hydrogen technology advancements with our audiences’ personal values and daily routines. It also provided a creative springboard that was unexpected in the industry category, differentiating the Vattenfall brand and making a complex technology relatable and desirable.
Bridging the gap
By bridging the gap between industrial innovation and personal care, we not only addressed the negative connotations of industry emissions but also elevated the brand to taking broader responsibility and leading the way towards a sustainable society. By packaging our fossil-free emissions as a beauty product and launching it together with a world celebrity – actor, super model, and climate activist Cara Delevingne – we managed to cut though in a way that reached, resonated and attracted the younger audience.
Industrial Emissions Face Mist
Vattenfall’s “Industrial Emissions Face Mist”-campaign earned €6.15 million in PR-value, strengthening key brand attributes “Takes responsibility” +13ppt, and “Leading change” +11ppt, leading to +23% in brand consideration. The limited edition of Vattenfall Industrial Emissions Face Mist sold out immediately :)
It was a campaign that put Vattenfall’s inventive technology for a fossil-free future – in the midst of pop culture. By delivering a complicated –boring– message in a simple, engaging way brand consideration got to the highest point we’ve ever measured. The campaign strengthened the audience´s perception that Vattenfall takes responsibility in leading change –enabling a fossil-free future.