I helped built Vandebron’s brand, voice and identity. Initially through copywriting, graphic design, photography, PR, event management and social media — later on leading a small team that did this, producing and publishing content like videos and photos on a weekly basis. In these two-and-a-half years, Vandebron grew from 0 to 100.000+ customers.

“Vandebron has hands down the highest quality social media presence, the customer engagement speaks for itself. Vandebron have 25 time the engagement of CEC, with very high rates of sharing and comments. Furthermore, 9o% of Vandebron’s Facebook posts are about Vandebron itself, whereas 90% of CEC’s posts feature other solar energy related news which are not directly related to CEC.” Source

“As a marketeer I’m surprised by Vandebron. It’s wonderful how a brand can interact so positively with their customers and suppliers. This gives an energy boost!” Source

“Vandebron combines commerce with social relevance really well, in a logical way. The company brings forward a balanced marketingmix: its name, website, promise, nearby, zeitgeist, small, Dutch. It’s nice to see how big you can become with local relevance.” Source

Campaign

For years, Dutch energy companies have legally greenwashed their grey energy with foreign ‘green’ certificates. Because this is a very technical issue, it’s very difficult to separate the ‘fakers’ and ‘actually-green’ suppliers (not least because all brands looked very similar). Dutch consumers thus have been very critical towards all energy companies.

But in 2013, a Dutch startup was developed, with the aim to provide full transparency and clarity on its energy, through a peer-to-peer energy marketplace. Its working title was Republiq, but prior to its launch it got the brandname Vandebron, which translates into ‘From the source’.

Utilising Vandebron’s unique asset

Instead of just selling energy, Vandebron started with dozen ‘types’ of energy, on an Airbnb-esque website.

Vandebron, through their business model, made energy personal. And if the best energy comes straight from the source, then also the best advertisement comes straight from the source. No actors, no acting, just the people who produce the energy. All in a positive challenger campaign called ‘Goeie energie, rechtstreeks Vandebron’. (’Good energy, straight From the source’.)

Extensions

Struck a chord
The campaign struck a chord among green consumers, generating positive responses in an otherwise ‘non-emotive’ market like the energy industry.

• 75% positive association with the campaign from respondents (Coalitie Betere Reclame)
• Highest switching intent of the market (Motivaction research)
• From 0 to 120,000 households in three years
• Launch of the Year Award, Dutch Marketing Awards
• World Changing Ideas of 2015, Fast Company
• Ben & Jerry’s Join Our Core winner Europe

Including hundreds of social media posts, including viral ones and with great engagement: