RISING STARS
1 Put people before platforms.
2 Design with the user in mind.
This year’s Rising Star in Energy Branding award nominees shared their insights on what the future of energy holds, and how brand can play a crucial role. Their unifying advice to leaders:
We want to bring customers into the fold of the energy transition. It shouldn’t be a novel idea. But it still is. Daniel Kirwin, Retail Flexibility Strategy and Program Manager, Octopus Energy US
Daniel’s mission is to make that cost- saving potential visible to consumers through brand trust and product innovation. "We want customers to associate Octopus with a brand that does what no one else will do for them. If you trust us, we’ll help you save money and support a greener grid, without asking you to sacrifice comfort." For Isadora, the mindset shift is about breaking away from outdated, one-size- fits-all thinking. “Electricity has always been sold around fixed usage tiers—500, 1,000, or 2,000 kWh. But no two homes use energy the same way. AI allows us to predict each customer’s actual usage and tailor plans accordingly,” she explains. "It’s like moving from off-the-rack to made-to-measure." But she’s clear that change won’t happen overnight. "People aren’t used to thinking about energy this way. Most don’t want to spend more than six minutes a year on their electricity plan, yet they’re frustrated by their bill every month. We’re in the middle of a mindset shift, and it’s going to take time." BRAND: THE UNSEEN STRATEGIC LEVER Amidst discussions of data, demand, and distributed energy, brand might seem like
> chat interfaces to building personalized plan tools, she’s making energy feel more like a service people understand and trust. Natalie agrees: "We’re finally moving beyond tech-only solutions and starting to center people in this work. Communications and community engagement are no longer add-ons but central to innovation." BUILD SPACE FOR BOLD THINKING If there's one mindset shift these Rising Stars are eager to champion, it's that energy is for everyone and affects everyone. A move away from exclusion, complexity and confusion, and toward access, clarity and relevance for every type of consumer.
22 Brandpie Energy - Issue 3
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