Energy firm EDF has unveiled a new brand campaign championing the company’s diverse electricity generation mix and its role as a significant contributor to tackling net zero. Busy Doing Nothing underlines the fact that, unlike many of its historical and start-up rivals, EDF is actually generating zero carbon electricity at scale* — not just selling it.
Its unique combination of wind, nuclear and solar energy production is highlighted in a new TV ad, the first since EDF consolidated its UK brand creative and media accounts into Havas earlier this year. Accompanied by video on demand and digital executions, it positions EDF as an energy firm making a tangible difference in helping the nation to achieve its net zero ambitions.
Set to Richard M. Sherman’s Busy Doing Nothing, it features EDF engineers up and down the country who have never been busier helping to reduce UK’s carbon emissions to nothing. It was shot at EDF locations across the UK including Hinkley Point B power station and the Hinkley Point C construction site, a solar panel installation on the roof of a Tesco in Bicester, its battery storage facility in West Burton, Teesside offshore wind farm, Torness power station in Scotland and Dorenell wind farm in Scotland.
It was created by Dan Cole and Andy Garnett at EDF’s lead strategic and creative agency, Havas London, and directed by Academy Films’ Marcus Söderlund, best known for his cinematic spots for brands including Audi, Volvo, Honda and Vodafone. Media planning and buying is through Havas Media Group, which was appointed to EDF’s brand account, in addition to its existing corporate remit,alongside Havas London earlier this year.
The campaign launched through an ITV Proudly Presents partnership, brokered by Havas Media Group, which saw a 10" ITV introductory ident and the first showing of the 60" advert during new Sunday night drama, Singapore Grip, last night (20 September).
Di Bowden, Head of Brand and Marketing at EDF, says: “A big energy company talking about being ‘green’ might seem obvious, but we’re not just talking about it, we are doing something about it. That’s the EDF difference.
“Together, we’re generating the right mix of zero carbon electricity, using wind, nuclear and solar, to power the nation today and building the infrastructure a low carbon Britain will need tomorrow. We’re also offering all our home and SME customers energy tariffs that are backed by zero carbon electricity as standard. From turbines to tariffs, electric cars to electric heating, we’re busy doing everything we can to help Britain achieve net zero and that’s what this campaign is all about.”
Vicki Maguire, Chief Creative Officer at Havas London, says: “Many energy companies tout their green credentials, but as we enter the deadline decade, offsetting alone won’t cut it. The solution lies not in re-selling, but production — and the fact is more than a fifth of the UK’s energy is produced by EDF. It’s about action, not words — and so the fact EDF is also the largest producer of zero carbon electricity is a tangible, compelling, urgent story, and one we are proud to help tell. There’s no company doing more to ensure we meet our net zero target.”
Patrick Affleck, CEO at Havas Media Group UK&I, says: “We are proud to work with both EDF and our partners at Havas London portraying an important story in a way that will reach and resonate with so many. Giving consumers a simple way to contribute to the nation’s net zero target through their energy provider at no extra cost is a genuinely unique proposition and we are excited to see this campaign brought to life with the brand-new messaging.”
Marcus Söderlund, director, adds: “I love the combination of realism, human stories and visual beauty that the script suggested, combined with the playfulness of the ‘Busy Doing Nothing’ track. It was really important in this process to give a human face to EDF, all the personal, individual efforts and sacrifices that go into making a huge achievement — net zero.”
Credits:
Project name: Busy Doing Nothing
Client: Diana Bowden, Head of Brand and Marketing, EDF
Creative agency: Havas London
CCO: Vicki Maguire
Creative Directors: Andy Garnett, Dan Cole
CEO: Xavier Rees
Senior Account Director: Alec Campbell
Senior Account Manager: Patrick Dedman
Agency producer (film): Katie Wood
Assistant producer (film): Debbie Ragasa
Agency producer (digital): Sihle Khumalo
CSO: Mark Sinnock
Strategy Director: Ravi Matharu
Strategist: Kerrie Boyes
Head of Design: Lorenzo Fruzza
Designer: Daniel Davies, Josh Toogood
Media agency: Havas Media Group
Media Strategist: Tony Mattson
Media Leads: Charlotte Steel, Sarah Baker
Media Planners: Laura Mouratsing, Andy Stone
Production company: Academy Films
Managing Director: Medb Riordan
Producer: Stephen Overs
Production Manager: Gemma Priggen
Director: Marcus Söderlund
DoP: Daniel Takacs
Editor: Ellie Johnson at tenthree
Post-production: ETC London
Soundtrack: Busy Doing Nothing
Soundtrack composer: Richard M. Sherman
Voiceover: Chanel Cresswell
Audio post-production: Factory
*UK Fuel Mix disclosure information, published by the Government (BEIS) recognises electricity from wind, solar and nuclear fuel produces zero carbon dioxide emissions at the point of generation: https://www.edfenergy.com/zero-carbon
