Detailed Case Study: IGS Energy
They’ve become strategic thought partners who are as committed to the work and to our success as if it were their own business.
Whitespace: Let’s go green for good.
Transformed a traditional energy provider into a purpose – driven business focused on building a sustainable energy future for a healthier planet, through the development of a comprehensive strategic and creative re-alignment which resulted in a new target consumer, company name, brand image and identity.
Services:
- Competitive Analysis
- Consumer Research
- Brand Positioning Strategy
- Tagline Development
- Persona Development
- Brand Architecture
- Brand Standards
- Brand Video
- Campaign Development
- Broadcast and Outdoor Advertising
- Media Planning
- Social Strategy and Public Relations
- Internal Launch Campaign
- Copy Development
- Product Naming
Brand Video
Launch Campaign
Ads

Out of Home






:15 second TV Spots
Social Launch



Instagram & Facebook
10 days prior to launch we archived ALL the current posts so that our Instagram and FB profiles became a clean slate.






How we got here



About IGS
IGS is an independent, privately held, natural gas and electricity supplier to residential consumers and commercial customers
- Founded: 1986
- Headquarters: Dublin, Ohio
- Employees: 400
- Markets: 9 states
- Annual revenues: $1B.
IGS also owns and operates a solar division and home warranty business, began operations as Interstate Gas Supply, Inc., a commercial and industrial wholesaler of natural gas, and expanded into natural gas services for end-users in 1992. In 1997, following the deregulation of residential natural gas service, IGS began serving residential customers and expanded further into commercial arenas in 1999.
During this time, IGS acquired Accent Energy and Dynowatt. And most recently Scanna Energy, located in Atlanta, Georgia.
IGS currently markets it’s consumer offer primarily through door-to-door and online sales.



The Problem
Dynamic business lacking differentiation
While IGS is one of the most successful of the independent utility companies in the U.S. its brand is undifferentiated in the marketplace. The IGS value proposition has historically been comprised of two factors:
- Choice –alternative to utility monopolies
- Low cost perception
Embedded utility monopolies have become cost competitive and attained parity with deregulated independents like IGS through the negotiation of state subsidies for their continued maintenance of lines and equipment which they own, resulting in a weakening IGS’s value proposition wherein:
- The average age of IGS customers continues to increase
- Other energy providers in non-competitive markets are increasingly pursuing differentiation.



The Solution
In September of 2019, VENN Growth Collective (VENN) initiated a brand positioning strategy which quickly evolved into an ongoing relationship with IGS, encompassing research, strategy formulation and design and execution of an integrated new brand and product launch.
Over the preceding ten months, VENN partnered with the IGS Marketing, Human Resources, Innovation and Executive Leadership teams to launch a new name, positioning, product offer and campaign that communicates that igs energy is on a journey to “go green for good” and :
- Serves as a north star for the business including strategic planning, product development, the employee experience, and social responsibility.
- Creates a brand that supports IGS’s decision to begin offering 100% green electricity and 100% Carbon Neutral Natural Gas to all new residential consumers, while leveraging new technologies being incubated in IGS Labs
- “De-commoditizes” the brand by building a true lifestyle brand.
- Creates a “pull strategy” versus a “push strategy”
The Opportunity



Evolving the brand’s perception through repositioning



Research & Insights









Secondary research – review of igs energy business and industry review



Competitive assessment



Qualitative consumer research – focus groups



Quantitative brand equity study



Quantitative logo testing



Insights & implications



SWOT analysis & synthesis



Strategic roadmap



Consumer Personas









Brand Positioning Strategy






































