Certas Energy and ‘Beyond the Grid’: Creating meaningful brand affinity
Client overview
Certas Energy is the largest independent distributor of fuel and lubricants in the UK. Its reliable delivery network and range of products serve a diverse customer base, including off-grid residential customers and family farms; retail forecourts; and small, medium and large businesses in every commercial sector.
One of the UK’s most price-sensitive categories, heating oil has historically been a low-loyalty product in the industry, with customers purchasing infrequently and switching providers with ease.
Certas Energy and CTI Digital set out to challenge the assumption in this market that customers have little emotional connection to suppliers.
One of the UK’s most price-sensitive categories, heating oil has historically been a low-loyalty product in the industry, with customers purchasing infrequently and switching providers with ease.
Certas Energy and CTI Digital set out to challenge the assumption in this market that customers have little emotional connection to suppliers.
The challenge
CTI Digital’s task was to drive customer retention and build brand affinity in a market where price dominates and loyalty is low.
The idea was to stop only marketing fuel and start championing the people who rely on it.
We created Beyond The Grid, a community hub designed to make Certas Energy relevant beyond the moment of purchase.
At its heart was a clear repositioning: shifting Certas Energy from a transactional fuel supplier to a champion of off-grid communities.
The idea was to stop only marketing fuel and start championing the people who rely on it.
We created Beyond The Grid, a community hub designed to make Certas Energy relevant beyond the moment of purchase.
At its heart was a clear repositioning: shifting Certas Energy from a transactional fuel supplier to a champion of off-grid communities.
The approach
Under the Beyond the Grid umbrella, we launched the Community Bloom Fund: a £30,000 initiative helping communities transform shared spaces.
While heating oil is low-interest, community pride is not. So we built a campaign people could actively engage with and rally behind.
We designed a fully integrated, multi-channel campaign to move audiences from awareness to advocacy. Activity was designed to:
While heating oil is low-interest, community pride is not. So we built a campaign people could actively engage with and rally behind.
We designed a fully integrated, multi-channel campaign to move audiences from awareness to advocacy. Activity was designed to:
-
1) Spark national attention
We commissioned a 2,000-person survey revealing declining community connection, creating a powerful PR hook for coverage and awareness.
-
2) Turn awareness to action
Communities applied for funding via a landing page, supported by national and regional PR, paid social (broad reach), and CRM activation, alongside activity from the Certas Energy marketing team including PPC and local print advertising.
-
3) Mobilise local pride
Four finalists were shortlisted. We then created localised content and storytelling, launched a gamified public vote, and used geo-targeted media to drive participation and voting.
-
4) Deliver real-world impact
Fantastic Fox Wood PTA, supporting Fox Wood SEND School in Warrington, were declared winners, using the fund to build the area’s first wheelchair-accessible playground.
The results
Engagement was deep. 51% of traffic came direct, driven by community sharing, and 28% of users were new audiences.
CRM performance reinforced this cross-channel engagement. Three in every five emails were opened (59% open rate). Email click-through rate was significantly above benchmarks.
The campaign also delivered clear commercial impact, with 1,287 live customers casting a vote, and 1,178 of the 8,507 total voters placing an order. Fifty nine lapsed customers were re-engaged by the campaign, which also increased interaction with Certas Energy’s wider ecosystem, including more than 500 new prospects signing up to marketing communications during voting.
CRM performance reinforced this cross-channel engagement. Three in every five emails were opened (59% open rate). Email click-through rate was significantly above benchmarks.
The campaign also delivered clear commercial impact, with 1,287 live customers casting a vote, and 1,178 of the 8,507 total voters placing an order. Fifty nine lapsed customers were re-engaged by the campaign, which also increased interaction with Certas Energy’s wider ecosystem, including more than 500 new prospects signing up to marketing communications during voting.
-
8,507votes registered
-
78community applications
-
32mPR reach
-
53pieces of media coverage
-
226,000social reach
-
7,800blog sessions