B.C. Hydro

In 2006, after four years, the Power Smart branch of B.C. Hydro discontinued its coupon and discount program, which had encouraged the use of LED Christmas lights. It was judged that the price-conscious light market was completely tapped out. DDB’s challenge: spark interest in LED lights without price rebates or promotional offers.

The insight: Over Christmas, neighbours can become a wee bit competitive when it comes to decorating their homes. Therefore, the agency decided to show, quite literally, that LED lights could be just as effective as incandescent bulbs.

They secured a billboard in a high-traffic area of downtown Vancouver, and consulted with B.C. Hydro mechanical engineers and a UBC student engineer to help design a red-nosed reindeer using 1,500 white LED lights and six red ones. Accompanying the display was a bicycle which lit up the board when it was pedalled. For 24 hours a day over five days, B.C. Hydro employees and partners did just that, with each hour resulting in a donation to a local food bank.

Other executions included a portable transit shelter ad with a hand crank powering 1,800 LED lights. Also, Christmas trees with bicycle-powered lights were positioned in two Vancouver parks where holiday displays were held, and anyone visiting could pedal to light up the tree. This was supplemented by interactive displays, transit shelter ads and actual trees and a snowman dressed in LED lights.

B.C. Hydro doesn’t actually sell the LED lights themselves, so they measure success by how much shelf space LED holiday lights are given at retail. In December 2006, that had increased to 45.6% – up 7.4% from the previous year.

The campaign generated over 14 million impressions of editorial coverage on TV, in newspapers and online, valued roughly at $1 million. As well, Lower Mainland food banks received about $18,000 in donations thanks to the five-day pedal fest.