EDF offers fans starring role in ad

EDF Energy is offering football fans the chance to star in one of its sponsorship idents to be screened during the World Cup final.

The promotion is part of a wider campaign for EDF to find a new “face” for the brand.

The competition supports the brand-building campaign, created by Maher Bird Associates (MBA), to increase national awareness of EDF’s new single brand identity. EDF is replacing its regional brands – London Energy, Seeboard Energy and SWEB Energy with EDF.

As part of the campaign, which breaks today (Wednesday), MBA has produced 30 idents for EDF’s sponsorship of ITV 2006 FIFA World Cup television coverage. They show fans celebrating and pose the overarching creative idea “Where do they get their energy from?”

The idents carry links to a webpage where customers can enter a prize draw to win free energy for a year from EDF Energy. They are also encouraged to visit a microsite that hosts the competition to star in an ident. To enter, consumers are invited to submit a 30-second video clip of how they celebrate during the World Cup, mirroring the idea behind the TV idents. All entries will be broadcast on the site and the public will vote for the best from a selected shortlist.

As well as the consumer brand-building campaign, MBA is working on an internal strategy, part of which also offers an employee the opportunity to star in an ident.

Further brand-building activity, using the iconography of faces painted with the new EDF logo, will run on hoardings in Brighton, Bristol and Fulham, in addition to a six- and 48-sheet outdoor campaign. A radio campaign will also support the activity.

⢠Npower is rolling out a television ad this week communicating its passion for sport and featuring fans celebrating at major sporting events.

In a similar vein to EDF Energy’s World Cup idents, the campaign, created by Isobel, shows fans watching and reacting to sport in real time and carries the strapline “We supply the energy, you supply the electricity”.

Footage was filmed at live sporting events to capture fans’ genuine passion. The first execution was filmed at a football match and subsequent ads will be filmed at various sporting events, including Test Match cricket.