The VB Solar Exchange is a direct-to-consumer model that revolutionises the traditional methods in which a brand engages with consumers and opens up the conversation around how businesses can integrate sustainable practices into their innovation workstreams going forward.

This world-first program encourages VB’s biggest fans to get excited about solar energy and paves the way for more innovative and sustainable partnerships between Aussies, energy providers and FMCG brands. As a direct action, our aim was to encourage people to sign-up to the program whilst simultaneously raising awareness for sustainable and innovative business practices.

For over 165 years, Victoria Bitter (VB), one of Australia’s oldest and most iconic beer brands, has rewarded the hard-earned thirst of Aussies who have had the sun beating down on their backs. In 2020, VB put the sun to work for them and became the first Australian beer brand to be powered by 100% offset solar energy.

VB wanted to take its commitment to renewable energy a step further by bringing everyday Aussies into the conversation. We hoped that this activity would in turn help modernise the VB brand, which was suffering from perceptions of being ‘old school’ and stuck in the past.

The brief:

Continue to modernise the VB brand by making VB’s commitment to renewable energy relevant and engaging to everyday Australians.

Objectives:

Positive consumer sentiment and widespread conversation around VB’s solar initiative.

Increase interest in the brand.

Gain domestic and international earned media coverage.

If there’s two things Australia has in abundance, it’s sunshine and beer...

On the 31st March 2021, VB launched the Solar Exchange, a ‘peer to beer’ energy exchange program that sees Aussies able to exchange their excess solar energy for cases of VB.

Usually households with solar panels sell their unused solar back into the energy grid for a fixed price. Solar Exchange provides them with an alternative choice as to how they can benefit from their excess energy.

For participants, every $30 of excess solar energy accumulated will earn them a case of VB delivered to their door. As VB fans would know, that’s a much better option than paying the recommended retail price of $57. With the typical Aussie household earning around $60-90 per quarter from their excess, they can roughly earn around two to three cases per quarter.

A win for beer lovers and for the environment.

The two communications tasks:

Generate mass awareness towards Solar Exchange.

To ensure delivery against our brand shaping objectives, whilst injecting VB into a cultural conversation around renewable energy, mainstream Australia was targeted via a PR-lead campaign, supported by TV and OOH, with a CTA of ‘find out more’ directing people to the VB Solar Exchange website.

Recruit Solar Exchange participants.

We knew the most likely participants would be predominantly VB loyalists (men 35-55) who had solar panels installed on their roofs. Consumer research suggested two key motivating factors for installing household solar: 1) doing right by the environment and 2) cost savings on energy expenses.Therefore, messaging needed to align to our audience’s sustainability values, whilst critically making the value equation clear. VB fans were targeted via eDMs, social and VOD assets, where they were directed to the VB Solar Exchange website with a CTA of ‘sign up now’.

To launch, the VB Solar Exchange is being opened up to 500 Aussies as a Beta test for 12 months, allowing optimisation and refinement to the program upon review.

The program has been developed in partnership with green electricity retailer, Diamond Energy, and Power Ledger, a blockchain powered software company. Solar Exchange is available across Australia, with residences that have solar panels and the required meter installed at their homes. All people need to do to join the VB Solar Exchange is switch their electricity retailer to Diamond Energy. Aussies who have signed up can track the solar energy they’ve accumulated and the beer they’ve exchanged online, with cases being delivered to their homes each quarter in-line with their billing period, free of charge.

In its first year, VB has committed to exchange over 2 million kilowatts for 360,000 beers.

Objective 1:

Positive consumer sentiment and widespread conversation around VB’s solar initiative.

Results:

Over 1,200 Australian households expressed interest in joining the program in the first two weeks

96.5% positive consumer sentiment across social, website and phone direct interactions.

Objective 2:

Increase interest in the brand.

Results:

Website traffic: +280%

Objective 3:

Gain domestic and international earned media coverage.

Results:

Estimated earned media reach: 331,537,295.00 people globally

Over 250+ pieces of unique media coverage

Estimated earned media value: $3-4M

100% positive sentiment